Glamours
by lucyhoneychurch
Summary: After Sunnydale is destroyed, Willow has to take on a new identity in order to save both the Muggle and the Wizarding worlds
1. Making Faces

Glamours  
  
It was a well-known fact that on Fridays fortnightly the staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had staff meetings. A fact that Willow Rosenberg was becoming accustomed to. Personally, she had never thought that she would end up teaching for a living but desperate times called for desperate measures and these were certainly desperate times.  
It had been scarcely a month after Sunnydale had been sucked into the ground by the month of hell that the attacks on Willow's life had begun. First it had been physical altercations (all of which had been thwarted easily by both Willow and the rest of the Scooby gang) But then the magical attacks had started. Buffy even had been badly injured one night, put through something that Willow had later heard called the Cruciatus.  
It had been for everyone's sake that Willow had decided to fake her own death and take a new identity. Indeed, according to Giles, the attacks would only become worse until the witch did one of two things: come over to the dark side and join Voldemort (apparently the new 'big bad' of the world; Willow frankly wasn't intimidated), or die. So Willow did what any witch would under the circumstances: she became vampire fodder. Spike, who had been brought out of the ghost world by Fred shortly after his arrival in L.A. had no problems helping out with the details of that one. So, shortly after midnight on June 15th 2003, Willow Rosenberg died at the hands of one William the Bloody (who, according to unnamed sources, had gone crazy after his ordeal) and Lucy Kathryn Emerson was born. Lucy Emerson was as different from Willow Rosenberg as night and day. A history major with a minor in Latin from Oxford, Lucy Emerson had been the only daughter of foreign diplomats who had been killed in a plane crash when she was 11 and had left her a substantial inheritance. She had been born in London, England on March 27th 1981. A penchant for extremely risqué clothing and strong liquor, Lucy was something of a wild child, a fact that the entire Scooby Gang had fun concocting when they had helped her create her new identity. Willow had at first been extremely shocked when she found out what her friends from Sunnydale and Los Angeles had done with her image but found out fairly quickly that it was far easier being bad than good. This, coincidentally had amused Angel and Spike to no end and ended up creating somewhat of monster in the witch. Willow was now well versed in Poker and other forms of gambling and could drink even Buffy under the table. Along with this new image came a new look. Gone was the innocent red hair that had defined Willow's mousy existence for 22 years. Here to stay was a woman that stood out from the crowd. Her hair, again, another Spike creation, was now jet black with magenta red streaks running through the thick locks. Her wardrobe too had been through a major overhaul. Lucy Emerson was enamoured of all clothes that succeeded in pushing societies limits. Short skirts, shoulder baring tops, and jeans that rode right above the pubic line were now her staple items. Strangely enough, it had been Angel, Spike and Buffy who had accompanied her on this overhaul, arguing in the store while she tried on clothes that consistently got more revealing as the evening went on. Indeed, two out of three of her friends remembered Vampire Willow and the struggle to keep Willow on the tame side of Vamp was something they could not agree on. Angel and Spike, who hadn't seen the doppelganger but had heard tales from his sire, had been all over the leather, insisting that with the character that the team at Wolfram and Hart had come up with, it would be expected. Buffy was more conservative, and, seeing the scared look on her friends face as the clothes became tighter and more revealing, put the kibosh on the entire subject, steering the two vampires and one very frightened witch into smoother territory. Leather apparently, was fine for club wear but since Lucy would be working for the Watchers Council for awhile, it wouldn't be a good idea to buy clothes that she wouldn't need. So, armed with a new wardrobe, hairstyle (she had magically lengthened it to reach her waist and given it a wavy style), and personality, Willow left L.A. and headed for London. What was waiting for her on the other side of the ocean was not just a new life, but something far more. This she would discover later. 


	2. In the Kitchen

In the Kitchen  
  
For now, as she sat in the Hogwarts staff room listening as Minerva McGonagall recited the minutes from the last meeting two weeks ago, she yawned and crossed her legs in the big armchair she had managed to grab next to the fire. Her 3-inch heels were hurting her feet. She winced and unconsciously loosened her robes to ease the uncomfortable heat she felt from the warm wool that chafed the skin on the tops of her bare thighs. Damn. Why'd I ever let Angel talk me into the leather mini skirt?  
  
Severus Snape looked towards her questioningly. She shook her head in a manner that said it wasn't anything he had to worry about. Strangely enough, the sour faced man who was old enough to be her father had become her closest friend since she'd begun teaching at the school. 'Advanced Prophecies, Glamour's, and Wandless Magic' was the title of the class she taught to the 6th and 7th year students of the school. Severus periodically would guest lecture, as potions was an integral part of the process of prophecies, glamour's, and the overall takedown of demons. Indeed, it was also through their knowledge of the dark arts that they connected with. Many an evening had been spent in his or her rooms trading war stories and tales of their travels in the darker forms of magic. Their friendship also had a lot to do with the fact that very few people in the magical world knew who she really was. Indeed, it was comforting to have someone to talk to who she could be herself with; everyone else besides Minerva, Dumbledore, her friends back home, and Willow's former coven member her 'Aunt' Molly Weasely and 'Uncle' Arthur knew her as the smouldering Professor Lucy Emerson, teacher of wandless magic, daughter of Molly's fictional sister and subject of the male population of Hogwarts wet dreams.  
  
It had been with amusement that Willow had travelled in August from her placement at the council to stay at the Burrow before starting her new job at Hogwarts. Willow had never been there before, having met her coven at a remote location in England previously. So remote in fact that she still didn't know where she'd been for those lost months.  
  
She had shown up late on the Friday evening before the school season began straight from the new council headquarters, having previously shrunk her luxury luggage to the size of marbles in her pocket that morning before work. This had taken some getting used to; both the ability to shrink her luggage, (the novelty was still new) and the fact that Lucy Emerson, heiress to a vast fortune thanks to her dead parents, did not carry anything but the best luggage. Willow shuddered again, picturing the sweatshops in third world countries her 'luxury luggage' must have been made in. She had been so late to the Burrow in fact, that she hadn't had time to change out of her business suit, one which would have been perfectly decent would it not have been for the magenta-red bustier top which she wore under her black pant suit jacket and the 3 inch heels that poked out of the base of her tailored black pants, heels which to Willow's chagrin and the Scooby's entertainment had become a staple product in her everyday life since becoming Lucy Emerson.  
  
"Hello?" Willow called into the kitchen as she cautiously opened the door.  
  
"Lucy sweetie? Is that you?" Molly cried from her place at the kitchen table where she and three other redheads' sat-an older man she assumed to be in his late twenties to early thirties and a set of twins that Willow guessed to be close to her age. Swiftly, Molly rose and drew Willow into a hug. "Oh you're here finally! You must be exhausted. How are you sweetheart?"  
  
Willow smiled and genuinely returned the smile. "I'm fine Aunt Molly. Work took longer than I thought to wrap up. Damn vampires. You'd think London was turning into a Hellmouth!"  
  
"Well, we're just glad you're here now dear. Are you hungry?"  
  
"Ravenous." Willow said, grumbling ruefully, removing her jacket, placing it daintily on the back of her chair and taking a seat next to the older redhead who Willow assumed was either Bill or maybe Charlie if she remembered correctly. From her time spent with the Coven she had learned that Molly had 6 sons and 1 daughter. "I swear, is it just Watchers or is it all English people who enjoy only tea and scones for meals. That's like all I've eaten for the last week and a half."  
  
She stopped talking for a moment and stared at the table that had gone dead silent as she sat down. "What?"  
  
"Wha..you..that is." one of the twins stammered.  
  
"Oh!" Willow suddenly realized what was wrong, having gotten used to sending most of the population of London into stammers and blushes with her new outfits. "I'm sorry. I didn't have time to change out of my work clothes."  
  
"Work? This is what you wear to work?" the man beside her asked.  
  
"Yeaaaah," she drawled and crooked a smile at her 'cousin.'  
  
"Draws the vampires and general baddies in. Don't worry. I don't wear this all the time," she paused and leaned closer to him, "most of my wardrobe's worse." She turned to Molly, who was having a hard time keeping a straight face when it came to Willow's new look and the effect it was having on her boys. She knew sometime in the very near future 'Lucy's' male cousins would be on her case about giving the wrong message to members of the opposite sex. They were always on Ginny for the same reason and Ginny had never worn anything remotely resembling the risqué nature of Willow's current ensemble.  
  
"What would you like to eat dear?" Molly asked, swiftly changing the subject to safer matters. "And where did you get that tattoo?! That was not there the last time I saw you."  
  
"Just a sandwich please, but I can make it if you'll show me where everything's located. And as for the tattoo, that is a very embarrassing story which is better left to a time when I am far less sober than I currently am." She explained, referring to the tattoo of a willow tree dipping and swaying in the wind that graced the base of her spine, exposed now as her bustier rose up out of her tailored pants and the pants in question dipped low against her back.  
  
"Nonsense dear. You're a guest. I'll get it." And with that, Molly began to bustle about the kitchen, preparing Willow's food. Willow sighed, feeling safe for the first time in a long time. She reached back and removed the chopsticks from the tight bun her hair was in on top of her head, letting the loose waves fall onto her shoulders.  
  
Willow looked over at Lucy's cousins. "Hi. I'm Lucy Emerson, your cousin from America," she frowned and looked at the person on her right. "And you must be either Bill or Charlie."  
  
The man smiled and stuck out a hand. "Bill. Charlie's working in Romania with a new batch of dragons right now. I'm on vacation from the bank. Pleased to meet you. And these," he gestured with his hand to the twins at the end of the table who still looked like a bludger had hit them. "Are my twin brothers Fred and George."  
  
"Nice to meet you." She smiled widely and gratefully accepted the plate of sandwiches and the mug of tea being put in front of her by Molly. "Thanks Aunt Molly."  
  
"You're welcome dear." Molly replied, sitting down at the head of the table to the left of her niece with a cup of tea of her own.  
  
Suddenly, Willow heard a commotion coming from the living room and looked questioningly at her aunt who just shook her head.  
  
"Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Harry and Draco back from patrol. They're aurors at the Ministry."  
  
Willow simply nodded her head and went back to her meal. It would have seemed odd to everyone but Molly that she didn't know the names of her own cousins so she had studied her new family in detail, but she had no idea who the latter three names that Molly had mentioned were. Her thoughts were broken though by the quintets entrance to the kitchen. 


	3. Mixed Messages

Harry Potter had had a REALLY bad day. Ever since the battle he had had with Voldemort back in his final year of Hogwarts, the violent activity from the dark side had increased exponentially. Voldemort wasn't dead, far from it. He was simply biding his time, or so Harry assumed. So the wizarding world waited for the final battle, which, Harry thought, was taking entirely too long to get here. "Driving me batty he is," he muttered to himself.  
  
"Did you say something Harry?" Hermione turned to him questioningly as they stood in the living room of the Burrow, brushing the soot off of her Aurors uniforms. He shook his head and took off his cloak, setting it carefully on the sofa that sat in front of the fireplace. With a sigh, he and Hermione took a seat on the couch as they waited for Ginny, Draco and Ron to emerge. With a loud crash, Ron, Harry's best friend and Hermione's husband, came barrelling into the living room.  
  
"Bloody hell that hurt," he groaned from his prone position on the rug.  
  
"You alright Ron?" Harry asked in an extremely amused voice.  
  
"Fine mate. Just fine," the red haired man moaned again as he stood up creakily and sat down next to Hermione, kissing her deeply.  
  
Harry growled. "Do you have to do that in front of me? I may be your best friend, but I do not have to deal with the snogging."  
  
Hermione giggled at this and gave Ron a peck on the cheek. " We need to find you a girl Harry."  
  
"Yeah mate," Ron chimed in, smirking. "When was the last time you had a date? What's it been.six months?"  
  
"The Weasel's right, been even longer since you had a good shag," a voice from the floor said and the three looked down to see Draco Malfoy and his newly wedded wife on top of each other, having fallen out of the fireplace moments ago.  
  
"Draco!" Ginny chastised from under her husband. "Stop talking about Harry's sex life."  
  
"Or lack thereof." Ron muttered, a smirk appearing on his freckled face.  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? I don't know what I should be feeling right now. Angry that you all think I need a girlfriend or amazed that Draco Malfoy just agreed with Ron."  
  
Ginny Malfoy laughed from her position on top of Draco. " I'd take amazed if I were you. We're just teasing you Harry."  
  
Harry sighed and stood up, watching as the rest of his friends followed his action and walked with him to the kitchen. "No, you're all right.  
  
Unfortunately. I just haven't met anyone lately. And with all the new activity going on in the last few months, it's just been hard to find time to pursue anyone." Suddenly he stopped short.  
  
"Ow Potter!" Draco cried as he ran into Harry's back. "What are you doing just stopping short in the middle of the.bloody hell." He also came to a halt, causing Hermione to run into his back.  
  
"Ow!!Would the two of you move?! Just what is the probl.holy cricket," Hermione cried as she saw just what had stopped her two friends short. A woman sat at the table, chatting with Bill and Molly. This in itself wouldn't normally have been enough to stop the two of the Ministry's strongest aurors dead in their tracks. No, it was a combination of things. Namely her decided attractiveness and the dark magic that Hermione knew that both Harry and Draco, accustomed to feeling such forces throughout their school years, felt ooze off the slight woman.  
  
Hermione stepped around them and went to get a glass of pumpkin juice. Whatever was going to happen in the kitchen, Hermione was NOT going to face without first having wet her parched throat.  
  
Ginny, the only one in the group that appeared to be as unaffected as Hermione, stepped around her husband, dragging her brother with her.  
  
"Now what is the problem?" she demanded.  
  
"Who are you?" Harry ignored the question Ginny posited to the group in the kitchen, instead, turning his wrath onto Willow, who sat shell-shocked at the group's reaction.  
  
"What do you mean?" Willow responded nervously. He knew. He felt the dark magic that still coursed through her veins and that only a select few- limited to practitioners and of course anyone who got in their way-could detect. Whoever this was, by the energy seeping from the dark-haired man in front of her, a powerful whoever, it was not someone she wanted to mess with. Not that she couldn't handle herself. She was just afraid she might hurt someone in the process.  
  
"I mean WHO ARE YOU?! Did Voldemort send you?" Harry demanded angrily.  
  
Willow snorted. "Right. That dried up old man? I have more power in my little finger than he does."  
  
She stood up and sneered at the wand that now graced the mans very attractive hand. What are you thinking? This man's threatening you and you're making googly eyes at him?  
  
"And put the wand away, please. I'm not going to hurt you. If I wanted to I would've already." She waited a moment but he didn't drop the magical utensil. She sighed, shaking her head. "Fine, we'll do this the hard way." And with that, she summoned the wand from his hand and slammed Draco, who had gone for his wand at that moment, into the wall behind him. "Happy now?" she stepped over Draco's prone form and looked up into tall- dark-and- handsomes glasses bespectacled eyes. "I'm Lucy Emerson, Molly's niece. The dark magic in me that you feel is a result of a VERY bad choice on my part which has now been rectified and shall never be repeated." She handed the wand back to him. "Try it again, I dare you."  
  
Harry stood fuming in anger, his chest 6 inches from the women that had managed to make him look like a fool. She smiled at him, hurtfully.  
  
"No? Didn't think so," she said cruelly. She drew closer and leaned into him to whisper into his ear "The next time you pull a wand on me, I turn you into a rat. And don't think I can't." Willow turned around, looked at Molly, who sat motionless at the table and asked sweetly, "I'm tired Aunt Molly. Can someone show me where my room is?"  
  
Molly smiled warmly at the witch who, she was proud to say, had managed to keep her cool and not resort to dark magic to solve the confrontation she had just been faced with. "Of course dear."  
  
And with that, she brushed past Willow, as the younger witch took the two steps over to her chair, picked up her jacket and brushed past Harry, making sure to step on the bridge of his foot with her 3-inch stiletto. At his wince of pain, she scowled at the offending foot and, in a very Cordelia-esque move said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you.not that I care. Asshole."  
  
Harry watched as she left the room before reaching down, wincing again at the pain emanating from his foot and helped a chuckling Draco to his feet. "What are you laughing about?" he demanded.  
  
"I like her already," he said, "Asshole," and broke into hysterical laughter. 


	4. Dark Mirrors

Dark Mirrors  
  
Willow slumped down onto her bed in the room that Molly had brought her to and groaned. What had she been thinking? The answer was simple: she hadn't been. But, on the brighter side of things, she hadn't resorted to any forms of dark magic.  
  
The threat of her dark side emerging was something that Willow was loath to admit, even to herself. It was true; even with all the training she had received and the white magic that now duelled for dominance in her blood stream since she had activated all the slayers, she was still sitting so close to the edge of reason sometimes that its cousin, insanity, threatened to drag her under its murky depths.  
  
Suddenly, she felt the mattress dip next to her and a comforting arm draped itself across her shoulders. "You did good down there."  
  
The corner of Willow's mouth rose into a smirk. "I threatened to turn him into a rat Molly. That is not good."  
  
Molly gave a chuckle. "I didn't hear that part," she smiled softly. Maybe Dumbledore was right. Maybe Willow would be just the thing to turn the War around. But those were thoughts best left for later, when she was alone with her husband to discuss the odd remarks their former professor had said to them in passing when they took on the role of Lucy Emerson's fictional Aunt and Uncle. "Look, Harry can be a trial sometimes. He has a lot resting on his shoulders at the moment, what with you-know-who still out there and I'm sure that once he gets to know you that he'll be more than hospitable."  
  
"You think? I don't think so." Willow shook her head. "I know his type. Hell, my best friend Buffy is his type." She rested her head on the shoulder of the woman that had become like a mother to her during the strenuous months she had spent rehabilitating herself after trying to destroy the world. " I spent a long time winning back my best friends' trust after my little bout with the dark side. It's incredibly humiliating to learn that even after all I've done to redeem myself in the eyes of the world, some people can totally disregard all the good and see only the bad. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm just asking for a little tolerance."  
  
"I know dear, I know." Molly hugged Willow closer. "Just so you know though, I've never seen anyone put Harry in his place so well. Quite frankly, I think he deserved it."  
  
"Molly!" Willow's head rose up from the woman's shoulder. Seeing the mischievous look on the older woman's face, she gave into the giggles that threatened to spill from her mouth. It was going to be all right.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You shouldn't have done that Harry." Hermione scolded, sitting down at the table in the chair that Lucy had vacated, Ron taking the chair next to hers. She watched as Ginny and Draco took up seats at the end of the table, next to the twins, and Harry reluctantly sat down across from her.  
  
"Well what should I have done then? She was just sitting here, dark magic all around her..how was I to know that she wasn't someone that Voldemort sent to kill us all?" Harry grumbled, his pride stinging almost as painfully as his foot, which he was sure would have a stiletto bruise the next day.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Harry. To you, EVERYONE has the potential to 'kill us all.' Yes, she's dark, even I felt that but you shouldn't have reacted the way you did."  
  
"Well, I have to disagree with you Granger," Draco piped up from the end of the table. "How else were we to get a show to end this lovely evening?" Draco turned to Harry. "Personally, I think you'd make a lovely rat."  
  
"You heard that?!" Harry exclaimed in horror.  
  
"Oh Potter. I heard EVERY word of that clever exchange and quite frankly, I think you should continue to agitate the little witch. I could use a free show now and again." Draco said snidely before turning his attentions to the Weasely's that had been sitting at the kitchen table before their arrival. "Is it true then? Is she your cousin?"  
  
Bill nodded his head. "Mm-hm. Apparently she is. Mum says so anyway."  
  
"What's she doing here then?" Ginny asked, curiously.  
  
"She's a new teacher for Hogwarts. Staying here for the weekend before taking the train on Sunday. Lucy used to work for the Watcher's Council in London but due to the war, Dumbledore needs his students to be able to protect themselves so he's employing her to teach a new class, 'Advanced Prophecies, Glamour's, and Wandless Magic' I think Mum said he's calling it. Strictly for the upper years though. 6th and 7th years I would imagine. At any rate, she was only here for a half hour or so before you all showed up and Harry here tried to take a chunk out of her." Bill glared at the now sullen Harry. "She's a nice woman Harry. You'd like her if you gave her a chance."  
  
"Uh-huh. Right. She's dark. That's all I need to know," he glared back at Ron's brother before once again wishing that he had stayed in bed that morning.  
  
"Well it certainly wouldn't hurt your love life if you opened up a little on the Lucy subject," Fred, who had just woken up from his stupor, said. Harry looked incredulously at Fred. He could not believe the turn this conversation was taking. Fred, noticing the disbelieving look Harry was shooting him continued. "Are you blind mate? She's gorgeous and single."  
  
Sitting next to his twin, George's brow furrowed. "Did she say she was single? I don't remember that.."  
  
"No ring George. No ring. Harry here stands a chance, even if he is an incredible prat, if he digs his head out his arse and apologizes for his VERY rude behaviour."  
  
Harry's hands flew up into the air in agitation. "What is it with you Weasely's and my love life? It's none of your business whether or not I am or will be involved with anyone. ESPECIALLY dark witches that could possibly be linked to Voldemort. I don't see why you care so much about this."  
  
Ron's hand went to his friends shoulder. "Because it's you mate. And because we haven't seen you truly happy in years."  
  
Harry's eyebrow rose ironically. "Maybe I'm not meant to be."  
  
End Chapter 4  
  
Teaser for Chapter 5  
  
"Is he ever going to change his mind?" Willow asked Draco curiously from their seats on the couch. "Who? Potter? Probably, but not anytime soon. He thinks you're dark and that's enough for him. You're better off. Trust me," Draco drawled. "So tell me about yourself Lucy Emerson." 


	5. Schizophrenic Life Part 1

Schizophrenic Life Part One  
  
The next evening found Willow sitting on the couch in the Burrow, staring at the fire with a glass of firewhiskey in hand. It had not been a good day.  
  
She had gotten up at 10 that morning, already planning her trip into Diagon Alley for supplies for her class she would be teaching at Hogwarts. So, after showering and changing into a formfitting white sundress that Buffy had gotten her as a congratulations-on-your-new-identity gift, she slipped her feet into matching Greek sandals and went downstairs for breakfast. Hermione and Ginny were the only ones still at the breakfast table.  
  
"Good Morning." Willow smiled at the women at the table, going to the kitchen cabinet and getting a mug before sitting down with them.  
  
"Morning Lucy. I know we didn't get off on the right foot last night." Ginny stuck her hand out. "I'm your cousin Ginny and this is my brothers wife and my best friend, Hermione.  
  
"It's nice to meet you both. And about that..don't worry about it. Wasn't your fault."  
  
"So, how are you enjoying England so far?" Ginny asked, trying to avoid the talk she knew was coming about what had happened the previous evening. Having had a conversation that morning with her mother and Hermione over helping her cousin to adjust to life in a strange place, Ginny and her sister-in-law had agreed to befriend the pixie-like woman that Harry disliked so much.  
  
"Well, it's different." Willow smirked, waving her hand and levitating the teapot and plate of scones and jam to the place in front of her before pouring a cup of tea for herself.  
  
Hermione's jaw dropped. "How did you do that? And why didn't you use a wand?"  
  
Willow shrugged. "Don't have one. I can only do wandless magic."  
  
"Really?" Ginny asked, incredulously. She had heard of people like Lucy but she had never actually met one. Apparently it took a lot of power to be able to control that kind of magic without the use of a wand. Even then you could never guarantee that the lure of the power wouldn't go to your head. Indeed, most of the wandless witches and wizards that they had been taught about at Hogwarts had gone dark. She frowned in thought. Maybe this was why Harry had reacted to her the way he did. Somewhere along the line Lucy must have dabbled in something.  
  
"That's fascinating," Hermione breathed in awe. "Is it difficult to master? Have you thought of the effect that kind of magic could have on the current war we're fighting against you-know-who?"  
  
Willow gave a chuckle. "Well I don't know about that. I'm only one person and the magic is sometimes a little hard to control. It can be dangerous if taught incorrectly." Willow's face darkened noticeably, confirming both Hermione and Ginny's thoughts that Lucy had definitely had a brush with some dark magic. Lucy looked up and met Hermione's sympathetic gaze. "And don't call him you-know-who. His name is Voldemort. Fear of a name increases fear in the thing itself."  
  
Hermione smiled shyly at Willow. "Harry says that too. He's always telling us that but only he and Draco actually call him by his real name."  
  
Willow grimaced. "Was that verbal-harassment-guy from last night?"  
  
Ginny laughed. "He's not always like that. You have to understand what he's been through. He IS the Boy-Who-Lived after all."  
  
Willow looked back at her blankly. "Who?"  
  
"You mean you don't know about all that? I thought everyone did." Ginny looked shocked. Lucy shook her head no and took a bite from her scone.  
  
The next hour was spent explaining Harry to Lucy, who, in explanation as to why she didn't know about the Boy-Who-Lived, informed them that she was a self-taught wandless witch that had not even known the wizarding world existed until Dumbledore had offered her a position at Hogwarts 3 weeks ago.  
  
Hermione and Ginny had swallowed this information with shock. They had never met anyone who had had to teach themselves magic. It was at this point that Draco had entered the room.  
  
"Morning ladies. How are we all this morning?" he said, kissing Ginny soundly before getting a mug and sitting down in the empty seat across from his wife and next to Lucy. "Any big plans for this morning?"  
  
"Nope." Ginny said. "Mum wants Ron and I to degnome the garden this afternoon, but that's about it."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow. "You still have to do that? Haven't you had to do that since you were what, five?"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Draco, sweetie, it's fine. Ron and I figure that since Mum and Dad are being nice enough to let us stay here for the duration of the war, we should do what we can around the house."  
  
"Dumbledore insisted the five of us stay here, you mean. What was the reason again? Safety in numbers or some such rubbish." Draco scowled in annoyance.  
  
"It's not rubbish Draco." Hermione piped up. "If you and Ginny lived in one place, Ron and I lived in another and Harry still had his flat in London, how could we communicate quickly enough if there was an attack on one of us? This makes more sense and quite frankly, I'm glad we decided to move into the Burrow. I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to Arthur or Molly."  
  
There was a morbid silence in the kitchen after Hermione's words.  
  
Willow cleared her throat. "Well, I should be going. Still have to get a wand, some robes and the rest of my supplies for class on Monday."  
  
"You don't have a wand?" a stunned Draco Malfoy exclaimed.  
  
Ginny laid a hand gently over her husbands. "Lucy's a wandless witch sweetheart. She's never had to have one."  
  
Draco shook his head. "Isn't right. I thought everyone had a wand. You're going to Diagon Alley then?"  
  
Willow nodded. "Yeah. But some of what I need to get is a little."  
  
"Dodgy?" Hermione interjected.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You better go with her then Draco." Ginny said, knowing her husband could protect her cousin there better than anyone else.  
  
"Hey now. My parents were Deatheaters, but it does not mean that I know the layout of Knockturn Alley."  
  
"You've been there though. That's more than I can say for most of us." Hermione said quietly, her words extending not only to Knockturn Alley, but also to the brush with dark magic Draco had dealt with before rejecting the Dark Mark in their seventh year at Hogwarts.  
  
Draco absorbed this silent compliment and nod of support from one of his former nemeses for a moment before turning to Lucy. "You ready to go then?"  
  
Willow nodded. "You sure? I don't want to get you into any trouble."  
  
Ginny snorted. "He lives for this kind of stuff. Take him. Besides, it's either Diagon Alley or degnoming the garden. Take your pick Draco."  
  
"Who's up for a little dark shopping fun?" he said exuberantly and gave Lucy his arm.  
  
Lucy purred at this. "Sounds like fun."  
  
"SO much fun," Draco purred back, grinning broadly and looked to his wife, judging by the look on her face that this verbal flirtation between himself and Ginny's attractive cousin was not bothering her at all. Furthermore, Ginny was smiling broadly too so Draco could only assume that she wasn't threatened by it. Her next comment confirmed to Draco that he wasn't in the doghouse yet.  
  
"Have fun you two," she called non-chalantly, and went back to her conversation with Hermione.  
  
This, Willow was sad to say, had been the only bit of levity that her day had wrought. Indeed, the shopping had been fine. She had gotten her wand- 13 ½ inches, Willow wood with the blood of a unicorn at its core; a wand of contradictions, dark but innocent, bendable but hard to break- her robes for teaching as well as some formal robes for special occasions, herbs for casting, special stones and crystals for spells and most importantly, the books of dark magic and obscure magical objects that she had to go to Knockturn Alley for. Draco, surprisingly, was a huge help in the dark alley. Indeed, he had been a rock of support for her to lean on when they first entered. The magic itself she hadn't felt since her trips to see Rack when Sunnydale had still stood and was so overwhelming in its darkness that she had almost lost it, her eyes glazing over in blackness and the magenta-red streaks turning jet. Draco, in a very brotherly fashion, had quietly taken her aside in a show of understanding and helped her to calm down. He too knew the strength of the addiction, having had to choose against it only a few years ago. Once her eyes had turned light green again and the streaks in her hair were back, they entered the alley again and continued with her shopping, deciding to add a few other objects to her pile of purchases, like a new Orb of Thesulah (something Draco didn't know the purpose of and Willow bought for her lecture on soul restorations) and the materials that Willow needed to summon D'Hoffryn, another lecture topic. Their final stop was to buy Willow's owl and familiar. She chose a black barn owl that reminded her of Giles and a small black kitten that seemed to have been the runt of the litter. Bernard and Sebastian seemed to take to their mistress immediately and even more so to each other.  
  
Draco and she had apparated back to the burrow at that point only to have run into Harry and Ron returning from the Ministry where they had gone after degnoming the garden with Ginny and Hermione. 


	6. Schizophrenic Life Part 2

Schizophrenic Life Part 2  
  
Not again. Willow thought to herself as she visibly winced at the sight of her 'cousin' Ron and the person who had taken such a noticeable dislike to her.  
  
"Weasely, Potter." Draco greeted the two men who, he could tell were agitating the woman beside him. After her reaction to Knockturn Alley today, he knew she was on edge. He just hoped that Harry didn't push her over said edge like he had last night.  
  
"How'd the shopping go?" Ron asked nervously.  
  
Willow smiled at him. "Good. I'm all set for class. How was wherever you were?"  
  
Ron grinned widely. Despite what his friend said, he liked Lucy. And, according to Hermione and Ginny, they liked her too. He just didn't understand what Harry's problem with her was. "The ministry was fine. Boring, but fine. Harry and I just had to drop off the paperwork from last nights patrol. Didn't we Harry?"  
  
"Yeah," Harry replied neutrally and stared at the woman in front of him that looked so innocent in her white sundress. Appearances can be deceiving. She feels like Voldemort. The darkness was that strong. Harry knew that he was abnormally receptive to these sorts of magical vibrations but they were never this strong unless he was dealing with a particularly dark individual. But was she ever a sexy dark individual. Harry mentally shook himself. There would be no thoughts of that nature toward the dark witch in front of him. No matter how sexy she was.  
  
Willow shifted the packages in her hands. She didn't like the way that Harry was staring at her. It was like he was looking past her body and seeing all the secrets and flaws of her soul. Disconcerting to say the least. So immersed in her thoughts was she, that she didn't notice when one of the books she had bought in Knockturn Alley fell out of the overflowing bag it had been previously residing in. Oh shit. It had to be the copy of 'Summoning Demons and Gods for the Dark Sorcerer." Yes, she wasn't dark, not dark at all.she thought sarcastically. Way to convince the guy Willow.  
  
Harry leaned down and picked up the book she'd dropped, his face hardening as he saw the title. "Planning an extra-curricular event Lucy?" he drawled sarcastically.  
  
She glared at him in return. "Why yes Harry. My Saturday nights are never complete without a little demon summoning," she drawled in response. He looked like he believed this sarcastic response. "No, you moron! Unfortunately the wizarding texts in your so-called 'superior' bookstores didn't have anything to enlighten young wizarding minds on the subject of summoning demons or Gods or even how to prevent one so I had to pick this one up in Knockturn Alley."  
  
"Knockturn Alley? Draco what were you doing taking her there? That's definitely too much temptation there for someone of such little control.." Harry sneered. He didn't know why he was behaving in this way. He had NEVER behaved this way. Well, not since his Hogwart days, when the rivalry between him and Draco had been at its worst.  
  
"Excuse me?" Willow retorted sharply. "You are in NO position to comment on my ability to control anything when you yourself can't even manage to keep a pathetic old man out of your brain, small as it is." Willow smiled cruelly. "A condition I'm sure a lot of you shares." This, Willow knew, was an extremely low blow but this was a very Lucy action and Willow had been channelling far too much of her previous self today.  
  
Draco and Ron backed up slowly from the squabbling pair. Things were about to get nasty. It probably was a good idea to get their respective wives. Now. 


	7. The Importance of Muggle Literature

The Importance of Muggle Literature  
  
And so Willow sat alone in the living room, having had a tremendous verbal battle on the front lawn with the jerk that continued to belittle her existence. Currently, Hermione, Ginny, Draco and Ron were upstairs trying to help Harry heal the deep scratches that covered any skin that had been exposed when she had magically dropped him into the bramble patch that sat to one side of the front yard.  
  
Unconsciously she rubbed her aching arm, the result of a bruising hex that had left it black and blue. She had healed it, but it was still tender. Thank God I leave tomorrow. I don't know how much longer I can take living so close to that pompous ass. She smiled and took another gulp of her firewhiskey as she thought of her decision to not turn Harry into a rat. Beside of the obvious risks (considering that a dark lord was after him, it was probably not a good idea to turn him into such an easy target), there was the fact that summoning Hecate would have proven the idiot right, so she had decided against it.  
  
Her thoughts were disturbed as Draco came downstairs, his wife on his arm and Hermione trailing behind with Ron.  
  
"Is he ever going to change his mind?" Willow asked glumly. "I'm getting a little tired of defending myself from his verbal and magical assaults on my person."  
  
"Who? Potter? Probably, but not anytime soon. He thinks you're dark and that's enough for him." Draco drawled and sat down on the other sofa with his wife. "Besides, you gave as good as you got tonight."  
  
At this comment, Ron, who had sat down next to her with Hermione, burst into laughter. "That's an understatement," he looked Willow in the eye, still laughing. "If I didn't already like you so much and if you weren't my cousin, I think I'd have a problem with the fact that you just kicked my best friends arse. But I do, and you are, so I don't."  
  
"Thanks Ron. You're not so bad yourself," she smiled back and took the last sip of the firewhiskey that had until seconds ago resided in her cup. With a sigh, she levitated the bottle over to her and poured another glass of the drink she had bought in Diagon Alley that day. "Anyone want some?"  
  
The group, unaccustomed as they were to Lucy's talents in wandless magic, took her up on her offer. Soon, they all sat quietly, sipping their beverages and mulling over their individual thoughts.  
  
"Are you nervous for tomorrow? Hermione asked quietly.  
  
"Should I be?" Willow shot her a half-smile.  
  
"I don't know. I've never taught before. Just watch out for Severus Snape. He was the Potions Professor when we were there. Incredibly nasty individual. I think he's still there.Draco do you know if he's still there?" Hermione asked Snape's godson.  
  
Draco nodded affirmatively. "Yes. He's thinking of retiring though. But with the war going on..it's just not going to happen anytime soon," he said cautiously. Lucy, as far as he knew, didn't know about the Order so they had to be cautious about what they said around her.  
  
"Guys, I know, ok? About the Order. Feel free to speak freely. Dumbledore's already inducted me. I know that Snape's a spy and I know why he can't retire." The group looked at her suspiciously, causing her to roll her eyes in exasperation. Willow understood though. It never hurt to be cautious.  
  
There was silence for a moment and then..  
  
Ron cleared his throat. "Charming day it has been."  
  
Willow, recognizing the code phrase Dumbledore had given her, replied in a bored voice. "Pray don't talk to me about the weather. Whenever people talk to me about the weather, I always feel quite certain that they mean something else. And that makes me so nervous."  
  
Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Indeed. Does Harry know?" Oh, Draco was going to have fun with this piece of information.  
  
"What? About Dumbledore's affectation towards Muggle literature or that I'm a member?"  
  
Ginny laughed. "Both." This was great. Harry was going to have to trust Lucy now. Maybe even apologize for being such an ass.  
  
"I'm going have to be nice to him now aren't I?" Willow wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
  
Hermione snorted in laughter and shook her head. "Hardly. I'd make him apologize first. Make him grovel."  
  
"Granger! Never knew you had it in you." Draco drawled.  
  
"Malfoy, as I keep reminding you, it's Granger-Weasely now. And thank you."  
  
"Professor Emerson? How is everything going in your classes?" Minerva McGonagall asked, breaking Willow out of her boredom-induced recap of her stay at the Burrow. "Any disturbances? Problems?"  
  
"No. Nothing like that. The students are all VERY well behaved." Beside her, Professor Snape snorted in amusement. They had had a conversation on this topic just the other evening about the connection between 'Lucy's' wardrobe and her class attendance and participation. Strangely enough, it seemed that both of them were playing a role at Hogwarts. Severus, the role of nasty git and Willow, the role of smouldering temptress. The irony was that their real selves couldn't be more different from the parts they played at Hogwarts. For now, Lucy Emerson sat back in her chair as Minerva moved on to other matters and looked forward to that evening's chess game with Severus, her substitute Giles here at the school. They would have a glass of brandy, as always and she would wear actual clothes and he would lift the aging glamour he had on himself to look 10 years older than he actually was. She smiled. They really had the students fooled, the two of them. Hell, even Draco was fooled by his godfather's glamour. But first they had a meeting with Dumbledore. 


	8. Lessons of a Sensitive Nature

Lessons of a Sensitive Nature  
  
"I don't understand, why exactly are we doing this again?" Severus Snape asked a pissed off Willow Rosenberg as they sat in her study, nursing VERY large glasses of Brandy. Normally he didn't like to let the girl that he had come to think of as a surrogate daughter drink so much, but.tonight, there were other circumstances to consider. Ones that he unfortunately was part of and therefore, found himself equally in need of the alcoholic oblivion the Brandy was providing. Absent-mindedly, he moved his knight to take one of her pawns.  
"Are you asking my opinion, or was that a rhetorical question?" She said sullenly, causing Severus to throw a withering look her way. Scowling at this, she moved her rook forward two spaces. "You got me. Personally I think we should leave the asshole to fend for himself."  
"Willow," Severus scolded gently. "Despite how you feel about the man, according to the prophecy, he is the only one who can ultimately defeat Voldemort. I should think that this fact would motivate you to help him." He was silent for a moment. "You've given up too much to."  
"Do you think I don't know that?" Willow snapped. She pursed her lips before saying quietly. "I got an owl earlier. Buffy and Xander got married last week. My two best friends in the world and.I couldn't be there for them because I'm stuck playing this STUPID role." A single tear, one of many tears that she had been holding in since she had gotten the owl at dinner that evening spilled onto her cheek. She swiped it away angrily. "So yeah, I know what's at stake. And I know that we have to teach Harry wandless magic and occlumency if he's to win this thing so I can go home. It just hurts that."  
"That you may have to play nice with the arrogant buffoon when he's gone out of his way to make your life miserable the last few weeks?" Severus finished wryly.  
A smile broke the sadness on Willow's face. "You always know how to break me out of my moods Severus."  
He smiled in return and placed a hand gently over hers. "I know what it's like not having anyone to talk to about these problems." His smile widened. "After all, I DID teach the boy for 7 years." Willow cocked an eyebrow at this comment. Then, in an amused voice, I didn't have feelings for the man though."  
Willow looked up at Severus furiously. "I do not!"  
The potion masters smile turned into a laugh. "I knew it! You do!"  
"I do not!"  
"Mm-hm. And I'm not a slimy git that makes students lives miserable." He moved his queen across the board. "Checkmate."  
"I do not," Willow insisted stubbornly, furiously examining the chessboard for where she had gone wrong.  
"You do too," Minerva McGonagall said with a grin from the position she and Albus Dumbledore had taken in the doorway to Willow's rooms.  
"I do not," she said firmly. "I mean yes, he is attractive, and yes, there's that cute little thing that he does with his hair when he's mad and..and the way he smiles when he thinks I'm not looking but that does NOT mean that I have a thing for him. Not at all."  
Minerva's eyebrow rose in amusement. "No, not at all dear." She took a seat on the couch in front of fire and Albus moved to the space next to her.  
"If it helps, he has feelings for you too." Severus said, greatly entertained by Willow's debacle.  
"Really?" she said hopefully before mentally shaking herself. "I mean no, no he doesn't and..and I don't care. Not at all." Willow was silent a moment. "Really?"  
Severus broke into laughter again. "Yes, really. You forget, Potters occlumency skills are not as vast as they should be. That will also be changing in the very near future."  
"He hates me though. I'm all dark and scary remember? EVIL I think was his word of choice at that meeting tonight. How exactly do you propose we get along for the next few months DESPITE whatever feelings- FICTIONAL feelings I might add- that we have for each other?"  
Dumbledore broke into the conversation at that point. "That's what Minerva and I came up to talk to you about dear. We have had a talk with Harry and he has agreed to be civil with both you and Severus for the sake of the battle yet to fight. I trust you'll do the same."  
Willow winced visibly. "I know, and I will. Its just.he just..he rubs me the wrong way."  
"Is there a way you'd prefer him to rub you?" Severus said with a teasing grin.  
"Severus!" Willow said, blushing darkly.  
"Severus honestly, leave the poor girl alone." Minerva broke in, smiling despite the obvious embarrassment that Willow had at the turn the conversation was taking.  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly. It was good to see Severus and Willow smiling again. Indeed, in Willow, Severus had finally found someone who understood him and, as a bonus, discovered an individual that seemed to regard him as a father figure and friend. Willow, well, Willow had needed someone to talk to and she had found said someone in the crotchety older man that no one talked to. Funny how things worked out. "Yes well," Dumbledore continued, turning the discussion back to the current situation. "It is imperative that you both carry out your roles in this endeavour. If you fail to teach Harry what he needs to know, on these subjects, I fear we may end up losing the war." He smiled and the twinkle reappeared in his eye. "And Willow?"  
The formerly redheaded witch snapped herself out of her inner thoughts. "Yes Albus?"  
"After you're done teaching Harry wandless magic, I'm sure you could convince him to teach you some of the finer points of er, what do you young folks call it today? Extra-curricular wand usage? Hmm?" He got up from the couch, motioning for Minerva to follow him. "Come Minerva, Severus. It's been a long night and I find I am quite tired. We should probably let young Willow go to sleep as well. Classes to teach in the morning you know." And with that, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry led his Deputy Headmistress and Potions Professor from Willow's chambers, winking silently at her before closing the door. "Pleasant dreams dear."  
Dumbfounded and red-faced, Willow sat there for quite a while after they left, watching the fire die in the grate and wondering if her life would ever be normal. She shook her head. Probably not. And with that, she stood from her chair, put the chess pieces back into their positions, and went to bed. Dumbledore was right. She had classes to teach in the morning. 


	9. Summoning Emotions

Summoning Emotions  
  
"Try to think of it this way," Willow explained patiently to an impatient Harry Potter. "The magic is projected through you. You don't need a wand. It merely helps direct your energy. If you concentrate hard enough, the magic is directed where you tell it to go."  
  
"I AM concentrating," Harry snarled through gritted teeth, still unable to float the feather that sat stubbornly on the table in front of him.  
  
Willow sighed. This was proving to be harder than she had expected. "Let's try something else then," she said in a disappointed voice. After all, this had only been his first month of lessons, and some of her younger students that she taught during the day still had problems with levitation, even after 3 months of classes behind them. She had just hoped that, judging by the ability to perform magic in other areas, Harry would have turned out to be a fast learner. Indeed, the sooner Harry got the hang of the wandless magic and the occlumency, the sooner she was free to go home, albeit without her real identity. In the muggle world, Willow Rosenberg was long dead and buried and, seeing that the coroner had identified the body that the Scooby Gang had used to double as Willow's as Willow Rosenberg's, it wasn't likely her identity could be retrieved. 'Aw well,' Willow thought to herself, 'it's not so bad being Lucy Emerson if I'm back home.' She looked over at Harry who, despite his obvious displeasure at being here at Hogwarts on such a beautiful December evening, with her to which he referred to as evil no less, still looked incredibly attractive to her. 'You have got it bad Rosenberg.' Willow silently shook herself out of her inner thoughts and turned toward Harry on the couch they sat on in her living room. Stealthily, she summoned Harry's wand from his frustrated fingers.  
  
"Hey! That's my wand!" Harry exclaimed angrily. "Give it back."  
  
Willow smirked. "Try to summon it from me. Wandlessly obviously."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Obviously. And just exactly how do you propose I do that?"  
  
"Concentrate. If you want it badly enough, the magic will extend itself from your body and the wand will come to you. Try."  
  
A silence fell over the room as Harry concentrated, pleading with the wand to jump into his hand. All it did was vibrate. With a huff, he stopped trying, leaning back on his side of the couch and groaned in frustration. "It's no use. I can't do it."  
  
"No it's not. It took me awhile when I was starting too. But YOU have an advantage."  
  
"And what exactly is that?" Harry asked sarcastically.  
  
"YOU have ME for a teacher. I taught myself the craft."  
  
"And just look where it got you." Harry continued his snarky comments.  
  
Willow's eyes flashed onyx for a moment. "Watch it Buddy. Do you want to learn or not?"  
  
Harry bit back another comment because he knew that without this knowledge, he probably wouldn't be able to beat Voldemort. "Yes."  
  
"Good," Willow purred.  
  
"But I don't see how I'm supposed to. I can't seem to get the hang of even the simplest spells," Harry sighed angrily.  
  
Willow was silent for a moment, in contemplation. Was it too soon? "Harry?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How's your occlumency coming?"  
  
Anger flashed into the Boy-Who-Lived eyes. "Why? What's Snape been telling you?"  
  
"Nothing," she said seriously, for what she was about to propose was incredibly serious. It could mean her life if her hunch was wrong and, if Harry's occlumency wasn't up to par. "It's just.I've noticed that you appear to learn faster when the learning is tangible. You know? Touchable, accessible and...without books."  
  
"Oh so I can't read properly now?" He said, sarcastically. "I'm a moron now aren't I?"  
  
"Well you said it."Willow teased. "I'm serious though. There is a way for you to pick the wandless magic up faster but.it's a little bit dangerous."  
  
Harry laughed bitterly. "So is Voldemort. When do we start?"  
  
Willow stood up angrily. "This is no laughing matter! This could mean my life and everyone I have ever loved and left behind in an effort to protect!"  
  
"And this means something to me why?"  
  
Willow was silent for a moment. "It's means more than you'll ever hope to know," she said quietly, bitterly, then, laughing softly, she continued. "Well, if you decide to go through this with me, you will know." She sat back down and took Harry's hand. "So I'll ask you again, how're your occlumency skills?"  
  
Sensing the serious nature the conversation had taken, Harry shrugged. "Snape can't get in anymore. I can't get into his head yet but Dumbledore tells me that will come with time."  
  
Willow smiled nervously. Albus had said that if she ever got this opportunity, to share any of her past with Harry, she should tell him all of it. Apparently Harry was someone to be trusted. Willow's internal child snorted in amusement. Yeah right. "Good," she stood up and motioned for him to follow her. "Follow me."  
  
"Where are we going? And why?" Harry asked confusedly, following her nonetheless.  
  
Willow shrugged and gave him a nervous smile. "I thought we'd be more comfortable in the bedroom."  
  
Harry's eyebrows nearly rose into his hairline. THIS he hadn't been expecting. "Excuse me?" Lucy just smirked back at him. With a more confidant smile, she leaned into his body before dragging him the final steps to her bed and knocking him flat on his back on the soft mattress.  
  
"Don't worry. This won't hurt a bit," Willow said quietly and, with a soft grin, she leaned forward and kissed him. 


	10. Arousing Memories

Arousing Memories  
  
Harry felt himself physically fading away as Lucy's soft lips came down on his and suddenly he was no longer lying on her bed. He was in a strange room; it looked like a library. A noise from behind him broke through his observations though as a blonde girl that looked about 16 came into the large room, followed by a boy about the same age, and a slight, but extremely familiar, redhead. The redhead, spotting Harry, smiled in good- bye at the boy next to her and walked towards him, grinning widely.  
  
Suddenly, Harry recognized her. "Lucy?"  
  
"Hey. How's it going?" she replied, sounding innocent and cheery, the exact opposite of what Lucy Emerson sounded like normally.  
  
"Where am I?" he demanded. "What did you do to me? What...  
  
Wincing, she put a hand onto his arm. "Ok, calm down. We didn't go anywhere. You're safe."  
  
"What do you mean we didn't go anywhere? How do you explain this?" Harry gestured to the library.  
  
"Harry Potter, welcome to Sunnydale High in beautiful scenic Sunnydale California. This is where I went to school. Well, my version of it anyway," the pixie in front of him said.  
  
Harry cocked an eyebrow at this, still not understanding.  
  
Exasperated, Willow cried, "We're in my head ok! The only way I can teach you to do Wandless magic is to share the feeling of doing it with you," she was silent for half a moment. "Besides. You need to know the truth."  
  
"What truth?" he took in her appearance cautiously. "Who are you Lucy?"  
  
"See, that's just the thing. Lucy Emerson doesn't exist really. We made her up." With a sigh, Willow stuck a hand out. "Willow Rosenberg. Pleased to meet you."  
  
The only response Harry had to this was to drop his jaw. "Excuse me?" He ignored her hand.  
  
"Fine, don't shake my hand. You know Harry, you're quite rude."  
  
Harry put a hand to his head in exasperation. "Alright, for my sanity's sake could you please get to the point of all this?" He motioned widely with his hands again to include the library and the school in general.  
  
"I told you. You're in my head, you're going to learn Wandless magic and you're going to see my past. All of it." Willow said this last bit in a resigned voice. It had to be done. Didn't mean she liked having to do it. "Follow me, there's much to see before we get to the actual magic thing."  
  
And with that, she left the library, dragging a reluctantly curious Harry with her to a movie theatre located where the gym should be-or so she told him. "I hated PE," she admitted mischievously. "It has no place in my head."  
  
Harry had laughed at this before being handed some popcorn by the girl. Startled, he looked her in the eyes and raised an eyebrow. "There's popcorn in your head?"  
  
Willow simply shrugged, smiling ironically. "Well it's going to be a long movie. I thought we'd get hungry."  
  
Harry, who had always enjoyed Muggle movies, went along with this logic. After all, who was he to say anything? It was her head and, now that he knew where he was, regardless of the fact that her head had been involved in some pretty dark things, he felt perfectly safe. He was beginning to see why Dumbledore had said he could trust Lucy. Indeed, anyone that kept popcorn on hand for visitors to their BRAINS couldn't be ALL bad.  
  
"Now pay attention," Willow said, slouching down in her plush seat and taking a handful of popcorn. "There WILL be a pop quiz after the lesson."  
  
"Funny," Harry deadpanned and turned his attention to the movie that was Willow's life.  
  
For the next few hours, Harry watched Willow's past, taking in her memories and thoughts from the past 22 years. One thing was for sure: she wasn't what he had been expecting. Shy and unassuming, the Willow Rosenberg in these scenes was quiet, but exuberant and reminded Harry a lot of Hermione. Well, a very timid and less opinionated Hermione. He saw her as she fell in love with her best friend in High School, feeling her pain when he didn't reciprocate, saw her as she met Buffy and watched as her other best friend, Jesse was turned and killed. He saw her as Angelus came back, watched as he tried to kill her and then, with a trick that Willow had to feel the spells she used, actually felt when she re-souled the vampire. These years of her life reminded Harry a lot of his own. Granted, Willow had been risking her life far more frequently than he ever did, but the big-bad scenarios were familiar; after all, he had a big bad to fight as well. He felt as she floated a pencil for the first time and wept with her as she and Xander cheated on their respective others, and lost them because of it, had a good laugh as Willow's vampire double came into town and felt as they had sent her back to her own dimension. At this point he had made a comment about comparing Vamp Willow and Lucy Emerson's wardrobe. Willow hadn't been amused. After that, things started to get dark and Harry began to understand why Willow felt the way she did to him; you couldn't be surrounded by that much evil for so long before it started to engulf you.  
  
Willow started to cry silently as they watched the next few years. Indeed, watching as she fell in love with Tara, lost and gained her best friend, got addicted to black magic and tried to end the world after the tragic death of her lover choked Harry up as well. Then came the long months of recovery where, Harry was surprised to see Molly Weasely make an appearance. After, came the destruction of the Hellmouth, Willow's activation of the slayers and the flight to L.A.  
  
With a silent pledge to make up for the nasty things he had called her, or said to her, Harry put an arm over Willow's shoulder in comfort, holding her as she gave into the sobs that had been quietly wracking her body.  
  
With a wave of her hand, Willow stopped the movie and, with a sniff of her nose said, "Are you sure you want to see what comes next? This is the last 6 months or so."  
  
Harry shrugged and gave her a reassuring smile, arm still holding her close to his body. "We've come this far.I might as well learn how you pulled off your own death. Who knows, this information might come in handy some day."  
  
With a sigh of resignation, she waved her hand and the movie continued. They saw the attacks that had followed her arrival, the planning stage and the startling transformation that had changed mousy, sweet Willow Rosenberg into sultry, bitchy Lucy Emerson.  
  
Now Harry saw what had driven her to fake her own death. He couldn't believe it. Voldemort wanted her on his side. She was that powerful. Well, Harry knew that, had known that since the first time he had met Willow. He shook his head and turned to her in the darkened theatre. "I'm sorry."  
  
Willow looked incredulously at him, "For what? You couldn't have known. Besides, I DO feel dark, I HAVE been dark and I WAS a bitch," she snuggled closer to Harry. "Besides, I haven't that good of a verbal battle since Sunnydale."  
  
Harry laughed aloud at this, "Nonetheless. I'm sorry for my behaviour."  
  
"Apology accepted," she stood and looked behind her at the clock that had magically appeared on the back wall of the theatre. "Oh my God! Is that really the time? We've been here for 8 hours!"  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
"Yeah. Severus and Minerva are going to kill me! It's dangerous to do this for so long. You can get permanently stuck in someone's head if you stay too long there," she walked into the aisle and pulled Harry with her. "Oh and Harry?" she said sweetly when they were back in the library.  
  
"Yes?" he asked, suspicious at the sugary sweet tone her voice had taken.  
  
"I was serious about the pop quiz." 


	11. Climactic Events Part 1

Climactic Events Part 1  
  
Willow came to herself slowly, her limbs slowly gaining life and her body, energy. 'Who am I kidding? I'm exhausted,' she thought to herself drawing a deep breath and smelling something more than her usual self. Frowning, she sniffed the air. It smelled..male. Strong arms held her tight against a decidedly male chest.  
  
Suddenly, her mattress moved and she remembered. Emerald green eyes and a tousled head of black hair greeted her. Harry. She sighed.  
  
"Hi," he murmured quietly, looking guilty.  
  
"Hi," she smiled and then frowned as she saw the guilty look. "What?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
With a groan of exasperation, she sat up, extricating herself from his arms. "Would you stop that? It's not your fault. Well it is your fault but you didn't know about my past so I really can't blame you much can I? Besides, I was as bad as you were so that would make me as much of the blame as you now wouldn't it?"  
  
Harry just looked stunned.  
  
"What!?" she cried.  
  
"How do you find time to breathe?" he asked, a smirk gathering on his face, causing the dimples that Willow thought made him look like a little boy to appear.  
  
"What, you mean, in the middle of the babbling?"  
  
Harry nodded affirmatively.  
  
Willow just shrugged. "You get used to it," frowning, she looked at her clock. "Oh shit! It's 4 in the morning and I have a class.."  
  
Harry interrupted her with a laugh. "Tomorrow's Saturday Luc..er Will.. oh..what do I call you now by the way?"  
  
Willow frowned sadly, the tension leaving her bones as she realized that tomorrow was a day to sleep in before it gathered again as she realized she had to come up with a solution to Harry's last question. "Lucy. You still have to call me Lucy, Harry. Willow Rosenberg is dead." She got up from the bed and excused herself, walking quickly into the bathroom and closing the door.  
  
Harry cursed his bad timing. It was no wonder he hadn't had a date in months. He always had his foot in his mouth. "Will..Lucy I'm sorry," he said, as she came out and sat back down on the bed next to her. "I shouldn't have."  
  
"Shouldn't have what? Asked a question? It's allowed Harry." she laughed bitterly.  
  
"I know but I just shouldn't have. You're hurting enough as it is. You don't need me adding more hurt to the pile."  
  
Willow raised an eyebrow before bursting into laughter at his comment.  
  
Harry looked at her as if she was going crazy. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Mm-hm," She chuckled, coming down from her hysterics. "It's just, we spent how many weeks wanting to kill each other and now look at us. You went from 'she's evil and dark and scary' to 'I'm so sorry for not knowing the pain you were going through.' And I.." She trailed off.  
  
"You.." Harry teased.  
  
"I went from hating the fact that you made me feel so helpless to.."  
  
"To..?" he fished.  
  
"To wanting to kiss you so bad it hurts," she whispered. Harry leaned closer, his eyes that had briefly been filled with shock, filling with a more.sensual light..  
  
"You already did that," he said softly and dropped a kiss on her neck.  
  
"Did what?" Willow moaned at the contact. It had been so long since someone had kissed her there. Truth be told, she had something of a neck fetish, something Angel and Spike hadn't stopped teasing her about since she had blurted it out during an extremely explicit-and drunken- version of truth or dare.  
  
"Kissed me."  
  
Her hands dropped onto his shoulders, caressing the muscles there before moving down to his chest. Harry moved his lips from her neck to her eyebrows, dropping butterfly kisses softly onto them before moving to her cheeks, and then her collarbone.. "Harry what are we doing?"  
  
"I don't know," he murmured, continuing his very welcome actions.  
  
"This will change everything you know," she said, letting out another moan as his hand stroked the side of her breast.  
  
"Thank God," he chuckled. "I don't know how more thorn bushes I could stand being dropped into." 'Besides, this is a lot better than fighting,' Harry thought to himself. 'A LOT.'  
  
Willow tried desperately to separate her mind from her now tingling body. This was so fast.and dangerous if you wanted to get right down to it. A relationship between the two most dangerous threats to Voldemort..he would be stupid to not try to kill them both this second. But he didn't know that Lucy Emerson was Willow Rosenberg yet. He didn't know that Harry was learning Wandless magic and he didn't know that Willow was seriously considering entering into some form of relationship with the Boy-Who-Lived and leaving her sexual dry spell by the wayside.  
  
'He knows me now. He knows what I've done and he still wants to do this with me,' Willow thought. A niggling voice inside her head started to spout some ethical nonsense about men doing anything to get into women's pants- even apologizing for calling you evil. Willow quickly squashed it. 'Does it count if you WANT them in your pants?' she thought, and her inner child giggled naughtily.  
  
She took a hand and forced Harry's face up to look her in the eye. "If we do this, you have to know that it doesn't have to be a relationship. Its just sex and I don't want you to feel obligated to give me anything more."  
  
Harry stared at the woman that had just spoken every bachelor's dream phrase. 'What if I WANT more than that?' he thought. Harry had had feelings- grudgingly stubborn and strong feelings-for Lucy since that first night when he had picked a fight with the dark witch. But he wasn't about to share said feelings with her now. If she only wanted sex, he could happily give it to her. Everything else would hopefully come with time. He leaned down and gave her a searing kiss. "I think we're wearing too many clothes." 


	12. Climactic Events Part 2

Hello all. This chapter is rated NC-17 for explicit sex. Please go to www.tthfanfic.com for this chapter. Thank you. 


	13. Visitors

Visitors  
  
'Christmas,' Willow thought, 'had to be the most beautiful time of the year.' Especially now that she was at Hogwarts. Indeed, before she had come to England, she had never been able to have that fabled 'white Christmas.' Now she got to. With a sigh of regret, wishing she were out playing in the snow right now ESPECIALLY with today being the last day of classes before the holidays, she turned back to the 7th year class she was teaching.  
  
"Today, we will be studying the soul restoration," with a flick of her wrist, she levitated the Orb of Thesulah into her open hand. "Can anyone tell me what this is?"  
  
Several hands shot up, most of them male. Indeed, since her arrival at the school, Willow had noticed (after Severus had amusedly pointed out to her) that many of the male students in the school that normally didn't have much to say in class, suddenly had all the answers. 'Well,' Willow thought to herself, smirking at the raised hands, desperate to be called on by the attractive Lucy Emerson, 'At least they're learning.'  
  
She surveyed the room, taking the lone female hand that had shot up. "Yes. Emily." She called on her 'cousin' Bill's only daughter, the product of an affair with another curse breaker he had met while in Egypt 17 years ago. Catherine had died in childbirth, leaving her parents alone with their granddaughter. Bill had only found out about Emily 7 years ago, when Voldemort had killed her grandparents in a tragic attack on their muggle home in London. Upon learning of her granddaughter's existence, and severely scolding Bill for his poor use of birth control, Molly had warmly welcomed the girl into the family. Emily and Bill both lived at the Burrow now, when Emily wasn't at Hogwarts and Bill wasn't on business trips.  
  
"It's an Orb of Thesulah Professor. It's used for holding the soul being restored or taken away." The willowy redhead replied confidently. Emily and she were close, the girl reminding Willow of who she used to be, before the darkness of all the things she had seen and done had taken over. Indeed, Emily, taking after her father was extremely intelligent and had been made Head Girl this year.  
  
"Very good Emily. Five points to Griffindor. Now, can anyone tell me when, where and by whom the last documented case of a soul restoration took place and, for bonus points, who was the recipient?  
  
The hands shot up again.  
  
"John." Willow pointed to the towheaded boy sitting beside Emily.  
  
"Willow Rosenberg. Sunnydale, California. Um..." his brows furrowed in thought. "Oh! 1996...and....the recipient was the vampire Angelus, part of the Scourge of Europe."  
  
"Very good. Mr. Hamilton. 20 points to Hufflepuff." She went to her desk, hunting around for something before pulling out a bag of Santa shaped Muggle lollipops, choosing a cherry one and sticking it in her mouth before sitting on her desk and crossing her legs, one over the other. "OK, for 10 house points and a lollipop, who can tell me who Angelus was, besides the Scourge of Europe and the circumstances surrounding his re-ensoulment?"  
  
Hands shot up for a third time that day, but a voice broke through from the back of the room.  
  
"He was a vampire who drained a gypsy girl and was cursed with his soul, only losing it again when he fell in love with the slayer," the unnamed voice said confidently. Willow's jaw dropped before turning into a smile at who had come to visit her.  
  
Another voice piped up from one of the two men who had just entered the classroom. "That's the romantic version pet. The way I remember it, he shagged her silly and that's how he lost it."  
  
Willow did a double take. "Angel? Spike? What are you doing here?!" She cried, jumping up from her perch on the ledge of her desk and jumping into their arms, bestowing each with a hug and a kiss.  
  
"Cor love! You look good enough to eat!" Spike said, stepping back and taking a good look at Willow.  
  
Angel scowled, angry that he-and his demon-agreed with Spike, but knowing that there was no time for conversation. They were here in Scotland for a reason. "Enough flirting, we've business to take care of." He looked down at the floor before venturing to look at Willow, a serious look in his eyes. "There's trouble. After your class is done, you're to meet with Dumbledore and Giles."  
  
The smile that had appeared on Willows face at seeing her two favourite vampires evaporated. This must be serious. She didn't have time to think about this now though. "We'll talk about this later. I have a class to teach." Suddenly, she had an idea and a wicked smile traversed her face. "But since you guys are here.....how about a personal lecture from the worlds only souled vampires?"  
  
"I cannot believe you talked us into doing that," Angel groaned.  
  
"You two owe it to me as my friend, besides," Willow smiled another wicked grin, "They learned more today from you then they would have from me. I don't have personal experience with losing and regaining a soul. You two do. It was very educational." They stopped as they reached the statue to Dumbledores office. "OK. You two DO NOT know me as well as you knew Willow, so don't act like it up there. Well, only if its only Dumbledore, Minerva, Severus, Molly or Arthur. Or Giles....well, obviously," she babbled nervously.  
  
Spike grinned. This was the Willow they all knew and loved. "Or Harry?" He drawled, grinning even more broadly at the blush that spread across her face. He had heard about Harry Potter and the wandless magic lessons Willow had been teaching him, through Giles and the Council. He just hadn't thought they had actually developed a relationship together. The last he heard, they couldn't stand each other.  
  
"N...no. Harry doesn't know. And besides, we hate each other," she lied, stammering, still blushing furiously.  
  
"That's not what I smell..." Angel chuckled.  
  
Willow's jaw dropped. "Angel!"  
  
Spike rolled his eyes at her shriek. "We're vampires pet, but we're not stupid. Besides that, we met him earlier and you DO reek of him and certain....activities?" He joined in Angel's laughter over Willow at the look that her sputtering face gave them.  
  
"OK, so he does know. We can trust Harry though," she gave in grudgingly, knowing that it was no good trying to hide anything from her two friends; they knew her too well.  
  
Spike nodded perceptively. He knew they could trust Harry, just from the feeling they got off him. Besides, Willow didn't just hop into bed with just anyone. Hell, she had even had sex with him and Angel once in L.A. when they had been incredibly drunk. OBVIOUSLY the girl had good taste. "How long has this been going on Red? Er, Lucy," he finished, catching her warning glance.  
  
"Spike," she hissed. "We'll talk about this later. The walls have ears," she looked around cautiously, her eyebrows furrowing as she met his unrelenting stare. She knew she had to answer his question before they were going to get to go up to Dumbledore's study. "It's kind of like you and Buffy after she came back after Glory..."  
  
The two vampires angered immediately. "That's not a healthy relationship ducks!" Spike spat out angrily. He was going to kill Harry Potter. He didn't care if his soul would make him regret it.  
  
Willow looked downcast at the vampires' reaction. "I know but...I think...I think I'm falling in love with him."  
  
Spike and Angel's jaw dropped. This was serious. "Just how long have you two been...?" Angel couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. Sure, there had been that one evening in L.A. where the three of them had gotten so drunk that they had slept together, but the next morning they had agreed that it had been a huge mistake and they were better off as friends. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little....perturbed he thought the word was....at Willow's new relationship. He was her friend after all; almost siblings really.  
  
"Been sleeping together? Shagging? Take your pick Angel," Willow said smugly, amused at the vampires' shock, a slow smile replacing her frown. "Almost three weeks now." She was quiet suddenly, and the frown returned. "But I've been falling for him since I met him, even when we were arguing." She took in the two long faces in front of her. Clearly, Angel and Spike did not like her current relationship....or lack thereof. Really, her 'relationship' with Harry consisted of three things: sex, sex, and more sex. Well, that wasn't entirely true, they knew each other, and they had even taken a tour of each other's heads. And there WAS conversation but...beyond the wandless magic practice...most of the talking took place either post-coital....or during the act itself. Willow didn't consider this last verbal outlet real conversation though.  
  
"Will er, Lucy...." Angel started weakly, not knowing what to say to his friend.  
  
"Look," Willow interrupted abruptly. "I know this isn't going to work out but.... What with the lives both of us lead, well, I thought we'd give it a try. No strings. We're both going to die anyway when Voldemort gets a hold of us." This last statement Willow secretly thought was unlikely to happen. SHE would survive. She was strong and powerful. She just wasn't sure who she would be after Voldemort was done with her. Veiny, evil Willow probably.  
  
"Willow, don't say that," Angel said quietly, forgetting to address her by her alias, so scared was he at how dark she had gotten in the past months she had been in England. He got a sharp, hard look in return for his concern.  
  
"Willow Rosenberg is dead," she said in a tired voice. "My name is Lucy Emerson." And with this last comment still silently hanging in the corridor, she stepped in to the staircase and the two vampires followed her, exchanging worried glances. This was not the Willow Rosenberg they had known. This Willow- no, Lucy Emerson- was hard, unrelenting, dark, and undeniably sexy. Angel felt his demon chortle in amusement at this last thought.  
  
The Willow Rosenberg they had known had never been able to pull off a no strings relationship. Lucy had initiated one. And what was she wearing? Angel had never seen a sexier teacher. When they had walked into her classroom, he and Spike had found Willow wearing black thigh-high leather boots, a black micro-mini skirt and a skin-tight black turtleneck. Apparently Professor Lucy Emerson didn't approve of teaching robes. The kicker had been the red lollipop she had been sucking on. Indeed, Angel was not the least bit surprised at the way the male population of the class was behaving when he entered. Hell, when he was 17, a woman like that....well, he would have done anything to impress what he was sure was the object of every male at Hogwarts wet dreams and sexual fantasies.  
  
Angel didn't have time to think about that though; not when Willow's world was about to fall apart. With a sigh of resignation, he stepped into the rotating stairwell, following Willow and Spike into a meeting that would change their lives yet again. 


	14. Revelations Part 1

Revelations Part 1  
  
It was Christmas again. Harry loved this time of the year but somehow, this particular year was just....special.  
  
He was in love.  
  
After that first evening in her room three weeks ago Lucy and he had become something...more. Indeed, despite Lucy's claims that it didn't have to be more than just sex, Harry felt that they had moved beyond this physical act. She knew him and understood him, more than anyone Harry had ever met. She had recently confessed that she felt the same way about him.  
  
The truth remained though that he didn't know what to with this information. Because of the fact that they had to hide their relationship, they hadn't really explored any options to be together on a more....permanent basis. This made Harry nervous. He knew that he loved her, loved her more than any other person he had ever met, was DEEPLY, head over heels in love, but therein lay the problem. He hadn't told her this fact, and she hadn't told him. Harry suspected that they both were afraid of losing again, ESPECIALLY with the current situation with Voldemort and Willow's precariously balanced secret identity. This is what made today's meeting so terrible. He looked around the room silently. Something big had happened.  
  
The door to Dumbledore's office opened quietly, and Willow and the two Vampires he had met earlier walked into the room.  
  
"What are you all doing here?" Willow asked in a shocked voice, taking in the amount of people that the Headmaster had managed to squeeze into his office this time. Molly, Arthur, Draco, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Minerva, Severus, Giles and Albus sat quietly.  
  
She caught Harry's eye. She was clearly overwhelmed in fear. Obviously something BIG had happened. Harry knew the feeling. At many such meetings he would be expecting only Dumbledore, and instead get the whole Order.  
  
"Please Professor Emerson, Angel, Spike, have a seat," the Headmaster said wearily, sitting down behind his desk. Warily, the trio did just that. "Voldemort had discovered that the body in your coffin is not yours," he continued in a resigned voice. "He is looking for you quite ferociously now."  
  
"Lucy has a coffin?" Ron in a shocked voice," Is she a vampire?"  
  
Spike gave the redhead a withering look. "Vampires don't sleep in coffins you prat. I should know." He adopted his game face, baring his fangs at the Auror.  
  
"Spike, stop scaring Ron." Willow, who was still absorbing the shocking bit of news that had been dropped in her lap so unexpectedly, said. "What about my friends? Buffy, Xander....are they alright?"  
  
"Buffy, Xander and the baby are just fine. They're staying in L.A. for the time being." Giles spoke up in a reassuring voice.  
  
"Baby?" Willow's eyebrows shot up.  
  
Giles cursed under his breath, causing a snort to come out of Spike. "Nice one Watcher. Way to let the cat out of the bag."  
  
Giles glared at Spike in retaliation for his sarcastic remark. "Yes, well, you know now." He reached into his jacket pocket. "I was supposed to give you this earlier, but...."  
  
"It's alright Giles," Willow murmured, opening the letter and scanning it quickly. A tear silently made its way down her cheek as she read. Buffy was two months pregnant. She pasted a smile on her face and held back the other tears that were so precariously ready to spill over. "This is good news. Buffy and Xander will make good parents."  
  
"Excuse me?" Draco piped up sarcastically. He hated being out of the loop. "Who exactly are Buffy and Xander, and why do we care that Lucy has a coffin?"  
  
A short burst of laughter came out of Willow. Count on Draco to take the edge off a tense moment. She smiled ruefully. This was going to be difficult. "OK. First off, who among you does NOT know my story?"  
  
Albus broke in quietly. "As far as I know my dear, Minerva, Severus, Molly, Arthur, myself, Mr. Giles, Angel and Spike know. It's only the young people that have been kept in the dark."  
  
"Not exactly," Harry interrupted, fidgeting uncomfortably and looking down at his hands. "I know. Lucy told me everything." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in response to this comment, the others in the room turning shocked glances at Lucy and Harry. Why would she have told Harry? They hated each other.  
  
"Really Harry..." Dumbledore mused appraisingly. Apparently there were still facets of the Boy-Who-Lived yet undiscovered even by the Headmaster, who seemed to know everything, but clearly hadn't known this.  
  
Harry looked at Willow, blushing as she smirked playfully.  
  
Amused smiles climbed onto Angel and Spike's faces at his discomfort. Apparently Willow had found herself someone who blushed as readily as she did.  
  
Draco who, despite not having a clue as to what Lucy was about to tell them all, knew something was up. Harry didn't blush as readily as he used to. He had seen and done too much to be affected. The fact that a mere smirk and playful look could make the black-haired man turn scarlet was an indication of something...illicit. Draco was greatly amused at this unexpected turn of events. "Is there something you'd like to share with the group Lucy, Harry?" he drawled salaciously.  
  
A blush now rose to Lucy's face at this question. "Harry didn't trust me. He thought I was dark, and what was the word dear, EVIL?"  
  
"Dear?" Minerva, who didn't know what had occurred between the two but was starting to have inkling, deadpanned. After an evening almost three weeks ago, Harry's wandless magic had became equivalent to Lucy's, quite mysteriously. He continued to come to the castle for lessons though, only he seemed to be leaving later and later...  
  
Willow winced, exchanging an anxious look with Harry. She shouldn't have said that. "I'll explain THAT later. I think its time that you all got to know the real me." 


	15. Revelations Part 2

Revelations Part 2  
  
"My name is not Lucy Emerson. It's Willow Rosenberg." Willow explained in an automatic voice. "About six months ago, I faked my own death in an attempt to save my friends from Voldemorts wrath." She took in the groups reactions so far. They looked shocked, but the shock was gradually being replaced by curiosity. She continued. This part was going to be the hardest. "You may remember from reading the 'Daily Prophet' of a Willow Rosenberg that went a little nuts over the death of her lover and tried to end the world?"  
  
Ginny, Draco, Hermione and Ron nodded, their eyes widening at the mention of such a person. Indeed, it had been all over the wizarding world when it happened but no one had ever actually seen a picture of this witch and therefore had no idea of who she was. Now, at least judging by the looks of the situation, they were not only going to see her, but meet her as well.  
  
Willow paused a moment. Angel, sensing her hesitancy, took her hand into his own comfortingly. "That was me. I'm the one who tried to end the world." She cleared her throat. "My skills in wandless magic had been building since I was about 16. I got hooked on the dark arts after high school though," Willow purposely skipped over what she had accomplished magically in high school, and the reasons behind her addiction in the first place. She didn't want to scare anyone quite yet. "Anyway, to make a long story short, I got some help for my dependency on the dark arts," she smiled gratefully at Molly, "from a coven here in England." She turned her gaze to Ron. "That's where your Mum comes in. Molly was one of the members of the coven, she offered to help me with my disappearance and plausible alter ego when I started plotting my own death." She cleared her throat. "But that's where things get a little dark. My friends and I...we closed the Hellmouth in Sunnydale, levelled it really, it's nothing but a hole in the ground now. In the process of this, I activated all the slayers in the world."  
  
It was at this point that Hermione gasped. "That takes a lot of power! How did you ever pull it off?"  
  
Willow smiled lightly. "I'll tell you about it sometime. It's an interesting story."  
  
"But that doesn't explain why you had to fake your own death..." Ginny said, inquiringly. She wanted to hear the rest of the story.  
  
"Yes well, I'm getting to that," Willow responded ruefully. "This power that I have...it attracted some dark creatures to me," a small smile graced her lips. "I was actually offered a place as a vengeance demon after my little 'end the world' stint." She looked up at the amused and shocked looks she was getting. Some of the information that she was giving about herself even Albus, Minerva, Molly, Arthur and Severus didn't know about. "Then Voldemort caught up to me in L.A." A gasp went through the room. "He wasn't a bad sort at first, just butt ugly." The group laughed at this. "But I could tell he was evil. When he offered to make me his second in command, I turned down the offer flat. I don't do that kind of magic anymore. But then he came after my friends...." She and Harry shared a look. They had this, among other things, in common. Voldemort had tried to kill those they loved in an effort to coerce them into joining him. "Buffy, my friend the Slayer, couldn't even fight him. She nearly died, would have if Xander and I hadn't shown up and found her." She sighed. That had also been the night that Xander and Buffy had gotten together and she, Angel and Spike had had their ill-timed drinking binge and roll in the proverbial hay. "So, with the help of my friends, we faked my death."  
  
"How did you manage to do that?" Ron said curiously. He didn't know how one would go about doing something that enormous and complex.  
  
Willow shrugged. "Well, I hacked into the birth records here in London, and several other institutions to give myself new identification, forged new birth certificates and a new history. Then, I got Spike here to act crazy for a bit, thus when my body turned up drained in an alley, it was more believable."  
  
Ginny gave Spike a funny look.  
  
"Cor love! I'm not REALLY crazy! And the body was one Willow charmed to look like her. Does she look dead and drained to you?!" Spike countered Ginny's look with a snarl.  
  
"So why'd you come to Hogwarts Will...er, Lucy er...what do we call you now?" Ron asked in an attempt to diffuse the tension now in the room.  
  
Willow shrugged sadly. "Willow Rosenberg is dead. I'm Lucy Emerson now. I have to be otherwise I might as well sign my friends lives over." She sighed. This next piece of information had to be given, however reluctantly, if they were to understand and ultimately trust her. "You might as well know now. My control over my dark side is still in progress. That kind of power....it calls to you. It's calling to Voldemort. That's why I'm here at Hogwarts. It's the safest place for me to be." She looked at Harry. "It also seems that my being here has benefited the cause as well. Harry's great with the wandless magic now, and Voldemort won't be expecting that."  
  
The room was silent a moment, each member mulling over this what Willow had told them.  
  
Draco broke the silence. "Speaking of Harry sweets, why do you call him 'dear' now?" He asked smugly.  
  
Willow blushed. "Well, we've been spending a lot of time together. What with his lessons and..."  
  
"Uh Huh. How long have you two been shagging for?" Ginny piped up, dismissing the excuse quickly, a grin growing on her face.  
  
Willow's blush deepened. "Look, this is not the time to be discussing my love life! I've just been made! Do none of you care?!" She exclaimed, trying desperately to be angry but failing miserably.  
  
"Well Lucy," Minerva said quietly. "As you said, you're safe at Hogwarts and your friends are safe as well. Now seems a perfect time to discuss your love life."  
  
"Minerva!" Willow cried helplessly. She hadn't been expecting this from the older woman. She should have though, judging by the way she, Albus and Severus were constantly teasing her about Harry and their would-be relationship. Little did they know....  
  
Harry, despite being supremely embarrassed, stepped in to save his lover. "Lucy," he said, taking her hand to calm her. "We might as well tell them. It's not like we have to pretend to hate each other around them anymore," he turned to the group, Ginny in particular. "About 3 weeks now," he said quietly. He wasn't sure how the people in the room were going to take this news. After all, a union between him and Lucy was not a joking matter. If Voldemort found out, he would not be happy, probably do something drastic, maybe kill someone either of them cared about. Indeed, Lucy Emerson was an extremely powerful witch, albeit with a very fragile alter ego while he, Harry Potter was powerful himself. If he and Lucy were to take it farther, get married, have children...it would be VERY dangerous for Voldemort.  
  
The room went still with shock. Lucy and Harry didn't hate each other. They were in a relationship, had been for three weeks now, and had managed to keep it hidden from all of them.  
  
Ginny's jaw dropped. She had been joking with the shagging comment....but obviously she had been right. Beside her, Draco extricated a little black notebook from his jacket pocket.  
  
"Right then," he drawled, all business. "And how would you define your relationship?"  
  
Willow gave him a defensive look. "Its just sex. I least I think it is...what do you mean by 'define your relationship'?"  
  
Harry gave her a chastising look. It WASN'T just sex and they both knew it. "Now love, I think it's gone beyond sex at this point. Don't you think?"  
  
Willow's eyes widened at what she saw lurking in Harry's eyes. It was almost as if he was trying to tell her he loved her. But neither of them was ready to say those words. That would make it real, and the inevitable loss when one of them died even harder. But there it was. That LOOK in Harry's eyes. He loved her. "Really?"  
  
Harry nodded sagely, lovingly. "Really really."  
  
She felt like she was melting, the love he felt for her and that same feeling she felt for him reflecting between them through their connected gazes. "Me too," she drew him down for a gentle kiss.  
  
Draco looked nauseated. They OBVIOUSLY loved each other. There was no way that this relationship was just physical. "Now people please. I need dates and times."  
  
Willow came up for air, still looking at Harry though and not paying attention to the intimate question Draco was positing to them. "Um, December 6th, about 4:30 in the morning I think."  
  
"Ha!" Draco laughed loudly. "I won the pool!"  
  
Harry turned sharply at this. "What? What pool?"  
  
Draco continued to smile brightly, his happiness spreading about the room. "Knew you couldn't keep your hands to yourself Potter. We've all been betting on when you two would stop fighting and shag already."  
  
"You couldn't have waited until the next day though, could you have Potter?" Snape broke in sarcastically. Willow could near a trace of humour in his dry statement. "I had the 7th."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. Snape was betting on his sex life? Hell had officially frozen over.  
  
"Severus!" Willow said scoldingly, but extremely amused all the same. She turned on the rest of the group. "Who else was part of this pool?"  
  
Slowly, every hand in the room beyond Angel, Spike and Giles rose.  
  
"How much was it up to?" Harry asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Harry!" Willow pinched his arm angrily. "We were being bet on! Do you not care?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "I just want to know how much we were worth Luce." He turned to Draco expectantly, a twinkle growing in his eyes.  
  
"About 500 galleons," Draco muttered, knowing that somehow, he wouldn't be getting to keep it.  
  
"Well, I'm sure that the children at St. Antonia's will be glad to have it," Harry smirked, referring of course, to the orphanage that had been built near Hogsmeade to house children orphaned by the Death Eater attacks.  
  
Draco's jaw dropped. "I may be on the light side now Potter, but how will it look if Draco Malfoy suddenly started making donations to orphanages?"  
  
"Like you grew a heart..." Ron mused in a sarcastic tone of voice.  
  
Draco shot him a withering look. "I have a heart Weasel. It just belongs to your sister."  
  
"Awww!" Ginny crooned into her husband's ear. "Just when I think you've got that evil bastard thing down, you go and spoil it by saying something like that to me."  
  
"Yes, well," he stammered uncomfortably, resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get to keep the money, instead, his hard won status of-what was it Ginny called him sometimes? - ah yes, evil bastard-would be soon a thing of the past if these sorts of things kept happening to him. He looked around the room, taking in his friends and family. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. 


	16. Christmas Happenings

Christmas Happenings  
  
He was having another nightmare. Indeed, it must have been a nightmare to provoke such a reaction from her dark- haired lover. This had been happening more frequently in the past week since they had revealed their relationship to the group.  
  
Willow bolted upright from her position snuggled against Harry. He was whimpering pitifully and thrashing his head about. "Harry," she shook him lightly. "Harry wake up." He didn't respond. She shook him harder. "C'mon sweetie, it's only a dream, it's not real." She said comfortingly, placing a hand lightly on his cheek. It was this gesture that woke him up.  
  
He drew in a gasp as his eyes flew open. He sat up, drawing shaky hands over his face and through his hair.  
  
"Here," Willow said, handing the glass of water she had placed on the nightstand in his room at the Burrow before they went to sleep that night. Harry gulped the water back, a disturbed look on his face. "Voldemort?"  
  
Harry nodded affirmatively. "Yeah. He killed this muggle family right in front of me er...him I guess," he drew in a shaky breath and lay back in the bed. "I can't do this anymore."  
  
"Do what?" she murmured, lying down, placing her head in the crook of his shoulder in an effort to calm the still trembling wizard.  
  
"This saviour thing, be the bloody boy-who-lived," he spat out angrily. "I'm sick of the nightmares, of the death. I just want to be normal for once. Have a normal life, job....arch-enemy. Hell, I'd take Draco over Voldemort any day." Harry drew her closer to him.  
  
Willow snorted in amusement, "I'll be sure to tell Draco that as we're opening Christmas presents in a few hours."  
  
Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "What time is it by the way?"  
  
Willow stuck a hand out and her watch flew into it. She raised her head off of Harry's chest only long enough to look at the time before banishing the watch onto her nightstand again. "4:30 in the morning. The kids should be up in probably an hour or so." The kids she was referring to were, of course, Natalie, 12, and Charles Jr., 9, -Charlie and fellow dragon keeper Julie's children; Percy and Penelope's kids- Pamela, 8, Pandora, 6, and Patrick, 3; Fred and Angelina's offspring, Isabella and Elizabeth, 5 year old twins that went by Izzy and Lizzy most of the time; and George and Alicia's twins, Alexander and Theodore, also 5, who went by the nicknames of Xander and Teddy. Bill's daughter Emily was 17 and therefore wouldn't be part of this crowd willingly. Indeed, she would probably want to sleep in, just like the rest of the adults. Molly and Arthur Weasely, despite being deeply concerned by the threat to their family that Voldemort posed, had been thrilled to have the whole group back under one roof again. With the frequent Death Eater attacks recently, all of their children were now living with them again. It was just safer that way.  
  
"No point in going back to sleep then is there? Not that I could...." Harry mused, knowing that after a nightmare (or vision of what Voldemort was doing in this case), he had great problems falling back to sleep. Truth be told though, he probably would have had problems staying asleep anyway. Indeed, since he had moved out of the Dursely's and started spending Christmas with the Weasely's, he had discovered that he loved the holiday and was as excited by the prospect of presents as the kids were.  
  
The nightmare he had had, had driven all thoughts of Christmas from his head though. He sighed as Willow dropped a kiss onto his chest. Thank God for Willow. She had been his rock in the last week, as the dreams had become more vivid and dark in Voldemorts frustration at being unable to find her.  
  
Willow smiled as she continued to drop kisses lightly onto his chest, moving lower to run her tongue over his belly button. Her smile widened as Harry, who had been trembling from his nightmare only moments ago, relaxed visibly and gave a soft moan as her tongue dipped into the sensitive area of his naval.  
  
"Honey, what are doing?" he inquired gently, not minding in the least. He loved it when she touched him. ESPECIALLY with her tongue.  
  
"You don't like this?" She asked coyly, moving back up his chest and engulfing his right nipple in her hot mouth.  
  
"You know I do," he moaned again quietly, feeling his penis start to stiffen under his pyjama pants.  
  
"This, Mr. Potter, is called medicinal sex," she explained in a sultry voice, her mouth continuing its journey north, and drawing him into a deep kiss. "It's very useful for making one forget nightmares and other such bad experiences."  
  
"Really?" he said, kissing her back. " I should have nightmares more often." His hand moved down her body and under her nightgown to her already slick folds.  
  
"Mmpf," Willow moaned into his mouth as he found her clitoris. "Enough talking Mr. Potter."  
  
He smiled into her mouth. He could get used to this.  
  
Molly Weasely surveyed her family with a smile from her place at the end of the dinner table, the feast that she had made that day spread out in front of her and the rest of her family. For once, everyone was home for Christmas. Granted, it was because Voldemort and his Death Eater's were more active than ever, but Molly was never one to let even this opportunity to have her family close to Arthur and herself pass her by. Even Harry was living with them this year. She smiled as she thought of the boy-who-lived. He had finally met someone and fallen in love and Molly couldn't have been happier. Even though they had only been together for a very short time, she could see how in love he and Willow already were.  
  
Christmas morning had gone off without a hitch, presents being exchanged and stockings opened. The children had had an excellent time. Molly smiled softly. Her youngest two children hadn't added to the already large brood yet. Molly knew that Ginny and Draco, and Ron and Hermione were all waiting until the war was over with, but she suspected that this was going to be the year that the Dark Lord would strike, and the war would end. She could only hope. As for Willow and Harry...well, they had only started their relationship and so the matriarch of the family Weasely couldn't rightfully demand grandchildren quite yet. Indeed, she regarded both Harry and Willow as her adopted children even though they weren't really hers.  
  
As if knowing the older woman was thinking about her, Willow caught Molly's gaze and smiled widely before spooning more mashed potatoes onto her plate. It had been a good day.  
  
After their 'medicinal sex' and a lounge in bed that morning, she and Harry had gotten up and had a shower together before going down to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Surprisingly, the children hadn't gotten up until 6:00 so she and Harry had been able to sit quietly sipping their tea and reading the Daily Prophet for a full 10 minutes before the rest of the family began to drift downstairs. Now, as she sat beside Harry eating the delicious Christmas feast that Molly had prepared, she thought of the problems facing them in the New Year. She felt certain that Voldemort would find her within the next six months, if he didn't already know where she was. She must have frowned at this thought because suddenly Harry was squeezing her hand in comfort. She gave him a quick smile, her eyes denying the happiness on her face.  
  
Suddenly, the sound of explosions outside in the orchard, where the anti-apparition wards ended, shot through the light buzz of conversation in the room. An eerie black cloud fell over the occupants. Willow turned to Draco and then Harry. They could feel it too. He had found her. Voldemort was here.  
  
With a moan, she felt the darkness start to overwhelm her and she could tell by the gasp from Molly that her hair and eyes had gone onyx and the blue-black veins were visible on her pale skin. "Relax Molly," she laughed wickedly. "I'm still in here. I'm just channelling a little more energy than I normally do." With a flick of her wrist, she had turned the platter that held the turkey into a portkey. "The platter with the turkey on it is a portkey that'll take you to Hogwarts. Get the children and yourselves out of here. This may get a little....messy."  
  
Protestations started as the explosions outside got closer and louder.  
  
"I said go! All of you," Lucy roared urgently, standing up as the energy began to radiate off her body in waves, the veins on her exposed skin getting darker. "I won't let him have you too," she said a little more quietly before another bout of dark magic settled over the room.  
  
Harry shuddered as she let out another wicked laugh. This was bad. If Voldemort was here....well, he wondered if this might be the date of the final battle and if so, was he ready? Was Lucy ready? It didn't matter though. He loved her and he was staying to help, whether she liked it or not. Quickly, he helped Molly, Arthur, their children and their grandchildren get the portkey placed in the right position to transport them all to Hogwarts, stepping away at the last moment, ready to deal with Lucy's wrath if it came down to it.  
  
Draco too, was realizing just how bad this situation would become before it came to an end. He could remember how this kind of magic, even from a distance, affected the troubled witch. Indeed, he knew that she would need his help keeping the magic from swallowing her whole because he was the only one of the group that had been able to turn his back on it before. Ginny motioned for him to grab a hold of the platter before it was activated. He shook his head, dropping a searing kiss on his wife's lips and murmuring 'I love you' before moving away.  
  
A single tear ran down her cheek as Ginny realized that Draco was staying to help Harry and Lucy with Voldemort. Truthfully, she had known that he would do something like this; despite his bad boy façade that he insisted on putting up at work and at home, deep down inside he was a good man. No, a GREAT man, a hero. Watching her husband as he walked over to stand next to Lucy and Harry, she gave into the tears as the familiar tug around her naval started.  
  
Willow smiled bitterly as she saw the people she had grown to consider family disappear from the Burrow. At least they would be safe. She took in the sight of her lover and Draco looking at her concernedly. She knew Harry wouldn't have gone, so she hadn't bothered trying to convince him to leave. After all, this was his battle too. Draco she hadn't been expecting though. All thoughts were driven from her head however, as the door to the kitchen slammed open.  
  
"Well my dear," Voldemort drawled silkily, stepping into the Burrow, his Death Eater's following him but not firing any spells at the trio standing still in the deserted kitchen. Indeed, they had been warned not to. " I've found you at last."  
  
She cocked an eyebrow at him wickedly. "Hello Voldemort. Took you long enough." 


	17. Brushes With Darkness

Brushes With Darkness  
  
Voldemort stepped even closer to the trio, his lips twisting into a smirk. "I've been looking all over for you my dear. I was ever so disappointed when I heard that you had been killed," he leered at her. "And ever so happy when I found out it was all a cruel joke."  
  
"I'm so glad you got amusement out of it," Willow spat out sarcastically. She had decided that she wasn't going to be the one to initiate an attack; he had too many Death Eaters with him. No, today she was going to strike if HE struck. She just hoped it didn't come to that. The darkness that had settled over the kitchen felt wonderful and she wasn't sure that if provoked, she wouldn't take in more power than she was accustomed to and lose herself completely.  
  
The dark lord suddenly was in her face. "I could kill you right now you know. It would solve both of our problems; you, the issue of what side of the was you'll fight on-we really can't have someone as powerful as you on the light side now can we?- and I, the problem of worrying about you helping Potter here with my own death." He stepped back, still smirking, seeing by the helpless way Willow was behaving that she was VERY close to losing control. This was good. This was, ultimately, the only way he would win the war. She, he had to admit was just the vessel to use to gain his power in the wizarding world back. He wasn't interested in the 'white witch' nonsense she had been exhibiting since she had oh so deliciously tried to end the world. No, Willow was only valuable to him if she succumbed to her own darkness and joined him. He would keep her alive for now, until there was no hope of her turning. He was a very good negotiator though. "Come my dear, it would feel so good wouldn't it? The power? You'll never be as powerful good then bad you know. And you'll never be able to defeat me without using dark magic, something I know you have a problem controlling. Wouldn't it just be better to give yourself up now?"  
  
"Sorry. I have better things to do than try to take over the world again," she responded dryly.  
  
"Crucio," Voldemort turned on her furiously at this comment.  
  
Willow was too fast though. "Thicken," she moved a hand through the air and an invisible wall made the curse bounce off it and hit the nearest Death Eater. With a scream, he dropped to the ground, writhing in agony. "Is that all you got?"  
  
"Willow, you surprise me with your animosity," he sneered back at her, quickly taking the curse off of one of the guards he had brought with him. He took in the two men that stood next to Willow. Harry Potter. Voldemort rolled his eyes. Of course that do-gooder would be here. Draco Malfoy. Now THAT he hadn't been expecting. Indeed, since his father had been imprisoned, later released in the attack the Dark Lord's army had launched on Azkaban to renew their ranks, Draco had been keeping a low profile. He had turned down the Dark Lord's offer to join his ranks in exchange for a place in Dumbledore's pathetic little Order, despite having so much training in the dark arts it was beginning to eat away his soul. 'Much like our Willow here,' he mused internally. Voldemort had heard that Draco had become an Auror, but he hadn't been expecting him to ever take a stand against the Dark Lord himself, even being a member of the Order. Surprises abounded apparently. He hadn't been expecting Willow to be able to rebound an Unforgivable either. His thoughts were broken however as a fireball Willow had conjured headed straight for him. With a deceptively gentle flick of his wrist, he doused it.  
  
"Now Willow, that wasn't very ladylike of you. Turning down my very generous offer then? And after I didn't kill your bodyguards immediately upon entering the room too..."  
  
"Don't think you're doing me any favours," she said sullenly. "I make my own decisions and I'm choosing not to join you in this idiotic Hitler-esque journey to the depths of hell you appear to be on."  
  
Voldemort simply looked amused. "I am doing you a favour though my dear, I am. You just don't know how much yet. I'm giving you time." He was silent a moment. He should tell her now. Break her a little. "Your parents are dead you know. My Death Eaters got to them this morning. Italy I believe, on holidays and still mourning the death of their only daughter."  
  
Willow blanched, her earlier bravado fading with the colour in her face. She hadn't been close to them, sure, but they had still been her parents. They had survived through the collapse of Sunnydale; they had been on a business trip. To be killed after surviving that....  
  
Harry, noticing his lover's shock, laced her hands through hers.  
  
"Oh yes," Voldemort mused, a wide grin on his face. He began to pace in glee. "I see you've also developed a close relationship to the Weasely family." He paused in his pacing to meet her gaze with animosity. "If you want to save them, you'll join me." It was only then that he noticed Harry and Willow's intertwined fingers. "And don't think I don't know about this 'liaison' between you and Mr. Potter." His grin widened further as he watched the two accused freeze, his Death Eaters beginning to chortle loudly. "It will give me such pleasure when I kill him. Who knows? Maybe that's what will bring you to me. However I do believe in the lure of the hunt." Suddenly, the Dark Lord looked up at the clock. "Goodness me, is that the time? You have a week to decide Willow and then the Weasely's time is up. Oh, and Draco? This is for your refusal to join my ranks. Crucio."  
  
Before Willow could erect a protective field, Draco had hit the floor in agony. The Death Eater's and Voldemort all pulled out portkeys at the same moment he fell and were gone before she or Harry could dispose of either the Dark Lord, or any of his followers.  
  
Willow joined Harry by Draco's side, and quickly ended the spell. Draco's muscles continued to spasm though, and his breath came in pants. "Draco, we've got to get to Hogwarts. It's safer there and I'm not sure if they'll be back or not."  
  
Draco shook his head violently, gasping for the breath he had been robbed of in those excruciating moments of pain Voldemort had subjected him to. "No, we're fine. They won't be back. Just...give me a moment."  
  
Harry and Willow sat down in defeat next to Draco, who had resumed the fetal position in an attempt to halt the muscle spasms. Sympathetically, Willow placed a hand lightly on his back and murmured a spell. Suddenly, the spasms stopped.  
  
"Thanks, Will er... Lucy." He sighed, as the pain floated away with the spasms and he sat up.  
  
"You might as well call me Willow. The cat's out of the bag now. People are dying...just a typical day in the life of Willow Rosenberg." She moved a hand to her cheek to brush away the stray tear that had escaped her left eye.  
  
Harry, noticing her tears, handed her his handkerchief. "I'm sorry about your parents."  
  
Willow looked up at him, the remaining tears glistening and unshed. "Not like they were home much anyway....but still, they were my parents." She shook her head, as if to shake herself out of the mood and stood up. "Shall we gentlemen? We should be getting to Hogwarts. I'm sure everyone's getting worried about us."  
  
"Willow what are you going to do?" Draco asked sadly as Harry helped him up and held him there, Draco's muscles weaker than they normally were, preventing him from standing on his own.  
  
Willow shrugged as she created a portkey out of a battery Arthur had on the ledge of a window. "Not sure. Take over the world? I mean really, I could be a good dictator...." she said in an attempt to lighten the mood. It didn't work. "Everyone grab hold." She motioned and the two men did as they were told.  
  
She would get through this. She just didn't know how. 


	18. Tranquilizers, Stimulants and Depressant...

Tranquilizers, Stimulants and Depressants  
  
With a tug on their navels, the portkey brought them to the Great Hall at Hogwarts, dark in the absence of the students that sat in its walls on an almost daily basis but were on Christmas holidays or asleep at the moment. Draco, still feeling the effects of the Cruciatus, immediately fell down with a groan.  
  
The Weasely family was no where to be seen and for a split second, Willow wondered if the portkey she had fashioned out of the turkey platter had worked. She didn't have time to think about this now though, as she and Harry had to get Draco to the hospital wing to get him checked out. Who knew what Voldemorts curse had done to him internally?  
  
"C'mon Draco," Harry murmured, helping the weak man to his feet. "Have to get you to see Madame Pomfrey."  
  
"Do I have to?" the blonde whined as he was lifted off the ground.  
  
Willow let a chuckle escape. Men were such babies. "Yes Draco. The spell I did back at the Burrow was only a pain relief spell. We don't know what it's done to you internally."  
  
"Great," he said sarcastically, letting out a moan as pain shot through his legs at the weight he was putting on them by standing.  
  
Harry looked at him, concerned. "Draco, are you sure you can walk? We can always levitate you there..."  
  
"Yes Potter," Draco snapped back, angry at his own weakness at the moment. "I can bloody well walk to the hospital wing. Just...just stay right where you are, alright?"  
  
Harry, knowing better than to laugh at Draco right now, who never asked for help but was now doing so, continued to support his weight. He motioned for Willow to get the blonde's other side.  
  
Willow did and soon they were on their way through the Great Hall and up the stairs to the Hospital Wing. "I think we should do this every Christmas...what do you think guys?"  
  
"Oh yes, definitely," Draco drawled sarcastically, playing along at Willows attempt to lighten the mood. "How about EVERY holiday, why, I can see us getting threatened by dark lords oh, on Easter, Victoria Day and what St. Valentines Day wouldn't be complete without a good Cruciatus?" The trio laughed at this, the sounds of their continued conversation and laughter drifted through the empty halls of Hogwarts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"And where did the Weasely's pop off to?" Willow asked anxiously as she and Harry went back to her rooms after dropping Draco off at the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey, seeing the exhausted and defeated expressions on their faces upon entering the wing, had ordered that they leave Draco in her care, and that they go back to Lucy's chambers for some sleep and, in Willow's case, some de-stressing. Indeed, Willow was still sporting jet- black hair and eyes despite the fact that Voldemort was nowhere near at the moment. Madame Pomfrey had given her a tranquilizer to calm her down but so far, Willow felt no different and worst of all, she was still channelling dark magic that she couldn't seem to turn off as easily as she normally did. She suspected it had something to do with the fact that Voldemort had killed her parents and her emotional reaction to this action. But she wasn't ready to deal with these emotions just yet, preferring the numb this- isn't-real feeling that pervaded her entire body at the moment.  
  
Harry gave a shrug and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Madame Pomfrey told me that they were with Dumbledore. She didn't know an exact location though."  
  
Willow nodded in regret. "I just wanted to make sure that they were okay. I mean Molly and Arthur...I guess now they're the closest thing I have to parents. Although Severus and Minerva seem to want to fill that position on an almost daily basis," she smiled, turning her head to look at Harry. She noticed he was smiling at her last statement as well.  
  
"How are you doing with that by the way?" Harry asked quietly, almost wishing that Willow was raging and in tears instead of this artificial perkiness she seemed to want to continue expressing. Indeed, she seemed incapable of feeling even a little sad. Harry knew that she would crash eventually; he knew her well, despite the fact that they had only been together for a short time. When it finally happened though, he would be there to catch her.  
  
She turned her black eyes on him and shrugged. "Heartbroken. But it hasn't hit me yet." Suddenly, the black hair and eyes she had been wearing since more than an hour ago- had it only been an hour?- dropped, leaving her looking as she had before. Her dyed hair was back, black with magenta streaks but her green eyes were the same as the Willow Rosenberg from California that Harry had met in her mind. A tranquil, slightly stoned look settled on Willow's face. "Whoa. I think the tranquilizer just kicked in."  
  
Harry grinned as his girlfriend did a plausible impression of a stereotypical beach bum that had had one puff too many of the wacky weed. Thank Merlin they had reached the hallway that housed the teachers quarters. "You okay in there?" he asked, enjoying how relaxed she appeared to be.  
  
"I am great," she grinned broadly at him, her steps faltering a little. Harry grabbed her arm in an effort to steady her. She swatted his hand away. "What exactly did that woman give me? This is incredible....WAY better than that time with Oz and his band buddies in his van. WAY better."  
  
"Really," Harry mused in an amused voice as they reached the portrait that would let them into Willow's room. "I think that it's time we got you to bed Willow."  
  
She gave him a sly, knowing look. "Oh really? Mr. Potter, are you trying to seduce with your romantic words?" She wrapped her arms around his neck. "To bed it is then. Just as long as you're in it." She brought his lips down in a bruising kiss before jumping up to wrap her legs around his hips. With a sigh of satisfaction through her inhibitive dulled and-she would be the first to admit it- horny body, she extricated her lips from Harry's only long enough to mutter the password.  
  
Harry, inflamed by her lips on his and her legs wrapped tightly around his hips, backed them into the room, still snogging her madly.  
  
"Ah-hm," a voice that sounded suspiciously like Severus Snapes cleared his throat in impatience. It was official. Harry's worst nightmare had just come true. Severus Snape, feared Potions Master had just caught him and a girl in a compromising position. He had previously managed to avoid this moment with all his girlfriends that he had had at Hogwarts. Ginny, Cho Chang, Susan Bones, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil... but apparently the legacy was ending today.  
  
Harry turned his head to the voice, so that Willow's kisses landed on his cheek only to find himself staring at the amused faces of the Weasely family, minus the third generation thank Merlin, McGonagall, Dumbledore, and the aforementioned Snape. "Hello all," he said, his face growing redder as Willow continued her assault on his body. "Lucy cut it out."  
  
"But why....oh hello!" Willow finally noticed the group standing in her parlour. She smiled widely as she hopped off of Harry. "How's it going?"  
  
Ron raised an eyebrow. Lucy looked drunk. "OK. What's with Lucy? Did Voldemort mess with her head or something?"  
  
Harry led Willow, who was swaying lightly, to her favourite loveseat by the fire. Stroking her cheek lightly, he handed her the cup of tea that Molly handed him. He gave the older woman a grateful smile before sitting down next to his lover. "We just came back from the hospital wing. Draco had the Cruciatus placed on him so we had to get him checked out." He shot Ginny, who looked extremely worried, a look. "He's fine. Don't worry. Just a little shaky. He should be out of there tomorrow morning. He even felt good enough to insult me before we left." Ginny laughed at this. She would go to see him in a bit, after she got Lucy's story out of her. Draco would probably appreciate the explanation, the unusual entrance that Harry and her pseudo-cousin had made and the room's response to said entrance.  
  
"What happened to her?" Bill, who was very glad to hear his brother-in-law was going to be alright, couldn't help but repeat. Lucy was currently lolling her head on Harry's chest and smiling like a fool.  
  
"Oh, that." Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, when we got back, Lucy was still a bit- dark? I guess." "  
  
"Veiny Willow, I was still veiny, dark, scary, and what was that you once called me Harry? EVIL?" Willow interjected, chuckling lightly.  
  
"You're never going to let me forget that are you?" He muttered just loud enough to draw laughs and smiles from the group in the room. "And who's telling the story love?" Harry lifted her chin to place a soft kiss on her pouting lips. "Now shush. I've a tale to finish."  
  
"Don't let me stop you. I love your stories. It's your voice Harry, it's so sexy..." Willow slurred into his chest, where her tired head had fallen again. "I could listen to it for hours."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at this. Whatever Madame Pomfrey had given her, it was better than Veritaserum. "Then do so love. You're interrupting." Willow simply burrowed deeper into his chest, closing her eyes gently in lethargy, producing still more smiles from the group sitting in her parlour. "Madame Pomfrey gave her a tranquilizer to calm her down. It kicked in a few minutes ago."  
  
"Yes Potter we can see that." Severus said dryly, smirking in amusement. Oh, he would have plenty to tease her about at their next chess game.  
  
"So what happened with Tom?" Albus asked Harry gently.  
  
It was Willow that answered though. "He killed my parents," she chirped perkily, sitting up slightly and clearing her throat, not noticing the looks of horror that had appeared on the faces of the rest of the occupants in the room. "While they were on vacation in Italy mourning me and he gave me a week to choose a side and then he starts killing you guys." She turned her head to look at Harry. "Harry?" she murmured, tears finally beginning to form in her eyes.  
  
"Yes love," he said gravely. The rest of the room was silent, absorbing what Lucy had told them.  
  
"I think it's hitting me," she gulped back a sob. "C-can you take me to bed now? I'm tired and I just want to cry myself to sleep."  
  
"I think I can manage that," he murmured back at her, his own eyes beginning to tear up as he stood and lifted her into his arms. The group in the parlour moved aside to let him through. With a sigh, he took her into the bedroom and laid her down in her bed, moving away toward the door to tell their guests that they would talk in the morning. "I'll be right back love."  
  
Harry walked back into the parlour, taking in the concerned looks the occupants of the room shot him. "She's not doing well. Can we discuss what happened tomorrow?"  
  
"Of course Harry." Minerva stepped forward and took his hand in hers. "Just take care of her for us will you?"  
  
"With my life," he said, love for the woman in the next room shining in his eyes.  
  
Albus turned to the group, smiling gently, his eyes twinkling at Harry's last comment. The Boy-Who-Lived had finally found something to love. "Well then, time for bed isn't it? It's been a busy day. Minerva and I will escort you to the rooms your children and grandchildren have been placed in and where you'll be joining them for the evening. Follow me please." The Weasely's did just this, Molly stopping briefly to give Harry a hug of reassurance. Severus and Minerva followed the Weasely's.  
  
Harry watched as the portrait closed gently on Snape, the last to leave, and went into the bedroom that for the past two weeks in three he had shared with Lucy. He would help her get through this...and then he would make Voldemort pay. For what he had done to Willow, to himself and to so many others. He would pay. 


	19. Truth or Dare

Truth or Dare  
  
"Willow," Harry called from his place outside her bedroom door at Hogwarts. "Are you ready to go yet?"  
  
"Just a second Harry," Willow called as she put the final touches on her make-up. She turned her head as she heard him come into the room.  
  
"Why do you do that the Muggle way?" he motioned to the make-up that littered the top of her dresser. "From what I hear, it's much easier to do it with magic."  
  
Willow shrugged, turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Force of habit I guess." She gave him a smile.  
  
"You sure you want to go out tonight?" he asked in a concerned voice.  
  
"Harry, if I don't go out and enjoy life, than Voldemort's already won," she said as she took her arms away from his neck and went to get her purse that she had left in the living room. "Besides, I have 3 days left until his stupid deadline. I might as well go out while I still can..." She looked down at the floor, her hands fidgeting nervously around her bag.  
  
"Hey," Harry said harshly as he moved toward her and drew her into his arms. "Nothing's going to happen. A plan is being formed as we speak. Everything will be fine." He kissed her softly. "You and I though, we're going to enjoy our evening at the Burrow with our friends and we're not going to think about this whole situation we're in, alright?"  
  
Willow nodded, knowing that it was no good arguing with Harry. She had already tried.  
  
"Good," he said in a satisfied voice. "Are we flooing then, or apparating?"  
  
Willow didn't bother suggesting that they portkey, she knew how much that still bothered her lover. Ever since Cedric Diggory had been killed.... "Floo please. I don't feel like walking to the edge of the grounds tonight."  
  
Harry nodded. "Floo it is then," and led Willow to the fireplace.  
  
"What exactly do they have planned for tonight?" Willow asked quietly as Harry reached for the bag of floo powder Willow kept on the mantle.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Not sure, but Fred and George helped plan this party, so I'm assuming alcohol is involved."  
  
A smile burst onto Willow's face. "Excellent."  
  
Harry handed her the bag of floo powder. "After you my dear..."  
  
"Why thank you kind sir," she said, taking the bag and throwing a handful of powder onto the flames. They immediately turned green. "I'll see you in a minute then?"  
  
Harry's nodding face was the last thing she saw as she said 'The Burrow,' and she was falling out of the Weasely fireplace.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Willow! You're here!" Hermione cried from her position on the couch with Ginny.  
  
Willow stood up and brushed the soot from her clothing, wishing that she could somehow break Harry's phobia to portkeys. They were so much cleaner. "Hey guys," she said in greeting to the people in the room. Draco, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were here tonight. Willow wondered how many people they had felt were necessary to cheer her up. Hermione and Ginny motioned for her to sit down next to them on the second sofa in the room, handing her a shot that Willow quickly downed. A second shot soon was in her hand. Suddenly a thud resounded through the room as Harry fell out of the fireplace.  
  
"Graceful as always Harry," Ron snickered.  
  
"Like a bloody ballerina he is," Draco answered Ron's comment with one of his own, a chuckle following his words.  
  
Harry shot them a dirty look and stood up, Willow helping to dust his clothing off.  
  
"Have a seat mate," Ron called him over, patting the spot next to him and handing him a shot of his own. Harry raised his eyebrow at this action. Apparently ALL of them were getting sloshed tonight. Ron drank his, motioning for Harry to drink his. Harry's eyes moved to meet Willow's who, eyes issuing a silent challenge, swallowed her second shot of the evening. He drank his own in response. Willow gave him an appraising, lustful smirk at this action. 'Oh yeah,' Harry thought to himself smugly, observing the wanton look she had given him with the smirk. 'I'm definitely getting laid tonight.'  
  
Indeed, it was a well-known fact that alcohol made his girlfriend EXTREMELY horny. A fact that they would definitely be taking advantage of tonight.  
  
"So what's the occasion?" Willow asked, smiling, breaking the look she and Harry had been sharing. 'Oh yeah," she thought. 'I'm definitely getting laid tonight."  
" Well," Draco explained in a know-it-all voice, "we, as the younger generation of the Order of the Phoenix, and friends of yours of course, have been instructed, and I quote, 'to give you an evening of frivolity and drunken debauchery,' end quote, while the other members tweak the final plans for Voldemort."  
  
Willow looked alarmed and stood up. "But, shouldn't we be there? I mean, this is my problem, not anyone else's and...."  
  
Hermione forcibly pulled her back down. "NO. They're fine, and we're going to have a good time tonight, whether you like it or not."  
  
"And just whose bright idea was this anyway?" Harry asked, hoping to relax Willow enough so that she could enjoy herself instead of spending the evening wishing she were at the meeting.  
  
Ginny was the one who spoke this time. "Dumbledore and McGonagall's actually. We've been instructed to keep the two of you until tomorrow morning and if you're both not hung over by the time you go back to Hogwarts, they'll be severely disappointed."  
  
"And," Draco interjected, grinning and holding up a vile. "Snape has generously contributed to our evening as well."  
  
Hermione's jaw dropped. "Is that what I think it is?" she said in awe.  
  
Draco nodded sagely. "Yes. Veritaserum from Snape's personal stores. He gave it to me himself."  
  
"What...I don't understand." Willow looked confused. Why would Severus give them truth serum?  
  
Ginny looked at Willow, eyes twinkling. "We're going to play truth or dare with it."  
  
"Oh no," Harry protested. "The last time we did this, bad things happened."  
  
"Not so bad mate," Ron said in amusement. "Hermione and I finally confessed our feelings because of it."  
  
"Yeah, and that same night, Ginny confessed she had feelings for Draco," Harry responded weakly, remembering that night back at the end of their 6th year, and Ginny's 5th year.  
  
Willow's brow furrowed. "What's so bad about that?"  
  
Harry winced visibly. "We were going out at the time."  
  
Now Willow winced. "Ouch." She didn't feel threatened by this new information though. She knew from her trip through Harry's mind that he only thought of Ginny as a sister now. Poor Harry though. That must have been tough for him.  
  
Ginny snorted loudly, amused at Harry's reaction. "And you had sex with Susan Bones that night anyways. It wasn't meant to be and you and I knew that." Obviously Harry had something to hide. Hmmm. She could have fun with this. She shared a look with Draco. They could BOTH have some fun with this. She motioned for Draco to pour a few drops of the veritaserum into their shot glasses with some more firewhiskey. "Are we ready to play?"  
  
Draco and Ginny quickly distributed the spiked liquor to the group. "Bottoms up," and they downed their shots.  
  
Willow winced again as the whiskey burned a trail down her throat, feeling a wave of light-headedness hit her as the veritaserum hit her stomach.  
  
"Alright then ladies and gents," Draco drawled as he too began to feel the effects of the strong truth serum. "I think we should pick on Willow first, since this is her first time and we know so little about her. Truth or Dare Willow?"  
  
"Truth," Willow immediately said. She had hated this game in High School. With this group though, she felt safer. They weren't going to tell everyone at school the next day after all.  
  
Draco smiled. "Who was your first sexual encounter and at what age?"  
  
Willow returned the smile and blushed lightly, taking a shot. "That's two questions."  
  
"Do you want the dare?" Draco smirked, taking another shot of his own.  
  
"No," she scowled in disbelief at his silly question. "Oz, my first boyfriend, he was a werewolf," she explained to the group. "And I was 17. My turn then?" She surveyed the group. "Ginny, truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth." Ginny replied, following Willow's lead and taking another shot. The liquor warmed her blood almost immediately.  
  
"Have you ever kissed a girl?"  
  
Ginny blushed. "Yes. Hermione." The guys' jaws dropped.  
  
"Hermione?!" Ron said, shocked.  
  
Hermione shrugged, smiling smugly. "We were only experimenting Ron, it's no big deal."  
  
"Alright then," Ginny mused, trying to get them off the subject of the one time she and Hermione had experimented with each other. "Willow....truth or dare?"  
  
"Hey! We've already heard from me..."  
  
Ginny looked at Willow and smirked, looking very much like her husband at that moment. "Yes, but from what I've heard from Draco, you've had an incredibly....eclectic life."  
  
Willow rolled her eyes. "Fine. Truth."  
  
"Have YOU every kissed a girl?"  
  
Willow smiled slyly. Well, they thought she was eclectic. It was time to shock the group then. "What kind of kiss are we talking about? On the mouth or...other places? Tongue or no tongue? I've had 2 girlfriends you know."  
  
Harry burst into laughter at the stunned silence that fell over the room. He of course, knew of her bisexuality and wasn't troubled by it. After all, Willow appeared to love the person, not the package and that was alright by him.  
  
"Draco," Willow drawled after the laughter and shocked had died down, "Truth or Dare?"  
  
"Dare," he drawled back at her.  
  
"I dare you to slip a canary cream into Severus's meal tomorrow evening when we all have dinner at Order headquarters."  
  
The room burst into laughter.  
  
Draco nodded, smiling broadly, "It'll be a pleasure pet," he said, as he took a shot of brandy. The firewhiskey had disappeared around the time that Willow had confessed to having had a girlfriend. "Potter, truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth," Harry responded.  
  
"Why didn't you want to play this game with us tonight?" he asked slyly.  
  
Harry looked stricken but was unable to hold his answer back due to the Veritaserum running through his veins. "I'm keeping something from Willow. Something big. And I don't want her to know just yet."  
  
Willow looked shell-shocked at his candour, and took a large swig from the brandy bottle that Draco held out to her.  
  
"I don't want to play anymore," Harry murmured sadly, looking into Willow's sad eyes.  
  
"What are you hiding from me?" Willow said abruptly. She knew she shouldn't. She was taking advantage of Harry's drunken and truthful condition and she knew it. But she hadn't kept anything from him since they had begun their relationship, and she was hurt that he was now doing so.  
  
Harry bit his lip to keep himself from talking. Beside him, Ron exchanged a worried look with Hermione. The game had just officially gone too far. "I'm in love with you and I'm going to ask you to marry me."  
  
Willow's eyes went wide and she drew in a shocked gasp, her lips parting into a huge smile. She had been expecting something horrible but this....this was wonderful. "Really?"  
  
"Uh- huh," Harry said softly, afraid to look her in the eye. "I know we've only known each other a while but....oomph!" He was interrupted as Willow launched herself onto his lap and kissed him hard. Ron discreetly stood up and backed away from the couch, going to sit next to his wife.  
  
"Yes," Willow said, smiling into Harry's mouth.  
  
"Seriously?" he moved away from her face, smiling as well.  
  
"I'm on truth serum Harry. What do you think? Of course seriously!" Their grins were silenced though by a mutual joining of their mouths in a very thorough snog.  
  
Draco, Ginny, Hermione and Ron couldn't believe what had just happened. For a moment there, they had thought their little game was going to end in tragedy. Instead, it had ended in happiness.  
  
Draco was getting nauseous though, watching the way Harry and Willow seemed to be trying to inhale each other. "Excuse me?" Draco said in a loud, sarcastic voice. "Congratulations to both of you but...could you stop with the snogging? Please? You're making me nauseous and jealous come to think of it...."  
  
"Awww! Does my Draco want a kiss too?" Ginny cooed into his ear coyly, delighted at Willow and Harry's oh-so-apparent happiness.  
  
"Yes, but not until the lovebirds over there leave before they start to shag right here."  
  
Hermione and Ron apparently agreed with Draco because within the next 30 seconds they had managed to fashion a portkey to Willow's rooms at Hogwarts out of a shot glass that they then placed between Harry and Willow's clasped hands and activated.  
  
The last image Harry and Willow saw as they were transported to Hogwarts was their four friends, smiling amusedly at the still kissing pair. 


	20. Reactions

Reactions  
  
"You were certainly in early," Severus mused quietly as he and Willow played chess together. He absentmindedly moved a pawn two squares forward on the board.  
  
Willow smirked, motioning for her knight to dispatch the pawn that her friend had just sent forward on the board. "No thanks to you, Minerva and Albus eh?" Her smirk turned into a grin as she watched her knight smash the pawn to bits.  
  
Severus grinned wryly. Something was different about his companion. Something....well, he couldn't put his finger on it but something had definitely happened to make her so happy. She was glowing. "Touché my dear. We meant well." He moved his bishop to cover his king.  
  
"Yes well, it WAS quite the most interesting game of truth or dare I've ever played." Willow said in an amused voice; amusement in the fact that for one, she, with one move of her queen, managed to put the older man into check, something she'd never been able to do before, and two, over what had occurred as a result of Severus's veritaserum. Indeed, she hadn't told any of the staff of the engagement just yet.  
  
Severus smirked, moving his king deftly out of the line of fire. "That was the idea Willow." Suddenly, he figured out what was different about the witch today. Well, it wasn't that his brain figured out what was different so much as the firelight caused a glint to shine off of what looked suspiciously like an engagement ring on Willow's left hand. He smiled broadly. So Harry had finally done it. "Is that what I think it is?"  
  
A mischievous grin climbed onto Willow's face. "And just what do you think it is Severus?" She shook her head at the look of amazement he gave her, still grinning. "Apparently he was waiting for the right time to pop the question but the Veritaserum did it for him."  
  
Severus smiled, despite the feelings of apprehension that he felt on Willows behalf. Indeed, in two days, Voldemort would be meeting Willow at a presently undisclosed location with the intent to either kill the woman, or bring her over to his side. Thank Merlin that at least something good was happening for both Willow and for the Boy-Who-Lived. They deserved it. "So when's the wedding?"  
  
Willow winced. She had ran this idea by Hermione this morning and been given an incredulous answer. Her friend thought things were going a little fast. "We were thinking about asking Albus to perform the ceremony tomorrow evening."  
  
Now it was Severus that gave her an incredulous look. "Tomorrow? Isn't that a little fast?"  
  
Willow gave him a stern look. "No. I'm hopelessly in love with the man and I'm going to marry him." She dropped her gaze sadly. "As for marrying him now, well, something might happen in 2 days. Something bad. I might die. I can't ignore that, and I'd rather have something happy to remember in the afterlife."  
  
"Willow...you're not going to die. The plan will work."  
  
"But it might not. And we can't immediately throw out the third option." She looked up at him with eyes shining from unshed tears. "If I can't fight it, the darkness that is, than I need you and Harry to promise me that you'll do everything in your power to take me down. Kill me."  
  
Severus looked like he wanted to protest her adamant request but thought better of it. He would do what she asked but hopefully, it wouldn't come down to that. "Alright," he muttered softly and, turning back to the chessboard in an attempt to raise the spirits of both himself and Willow, he moved his queen into the position he desired. "Checkmate."  
  
Willow, lost in her own thoughts, was pulled forcibly out of them. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Checkmate," Severus smirked. "I win." He took a smug sip of his brandy. "Incidentally, I'm sure Albus would be pleased to perform the ceremony tomorrow. Are you inviting anyone in particular?"  
  
Willow shook her head forcibly. "No. We thought it would be better if we kept it a secret. This is just for us. If both of us....well, survive, than we'll have a large ceremony for everyone."  
  
Severus nodded in understanding. They wanted to keep it low-key. He could understand why. If the news that Harry Potter was getting married got out, it would become a media circus.  
  
"I was thinking of having just you and Minerva there." She looked at him shyly.  
  
"Really?" Severus said in a shocked voice. No one had ever singled him out for anything in this manner.  
  
Willow nodded her head, smiling. "Well, you and Giles, you're kind of like the fathers I never had. After all, who's going to give me away if you're not there?"  
  
Severus could feel tears gathering in his eyes as he listened to Willow's words. He had also come to think of the young woman as family in the last few months since he had met her. "It would be an honour Willow."  
  
Suddenly, her cat Sebastian, who had previously been lounging on the rug in front of the fire, got up and starting meowing at the portrait hole.  
  
A puzzled look came over Severus' face. "Is something wrong with your cat?"  
  
Willow shook her head. "No. Harry's coming. He and Sebastian have developed quite the relationship." She smirked. "I think it has something to do with the fact that every time he comes to Hogwarts, he brings Sebastian a can of tuna fish."  
  
The portrait hole opened and Willows dark-haired fiancée walked in nearly tripping over Sebastian.  
  
"Hey Sebastian," Harry said, leaning down to drop an opened can of tuna fish into the bowl that Willow kept for him near the door. Bernard, Willow's owl, hooted plaintively, obviously perturbed at being left out of the treat, "Don't worry Bernard, I have a snack for you too." Flashing a smile to his fiancée and Snape, he brought out a jar of owl treats. "Here you go mate." He fed the owl a treat and put the jar away, walking over to sit at the vacant chair at the table Snape and Willow sat at.  
  
Willow smiled broadly at Harry, "How'd it go?"  
  
"Good. Dumbledore will be happy to perform the ceremony the evening after tomorrow at 7 PM." He turned to Snape. "Willow's told you right? You'll be there?"  
  
"Of course Mr. Potter. And yes, she's informed me of your impending nuptials. Congratulations by the way."  
  
"Thank you." Harry smiled warily in return. He had never heard Snape utter such a positive statement to him. But then again, he was Willow's friend now and Harry knew how that changed a person.  
  
Snape cleared his throat, "Well, I should be off. I'm sure you've much to talk about," he placed a hand on Willow's. "Think about what I've said my dear. You've a long life to live." And with that, he stood and headed for the door.  
  
"Severus?" Willow called. He turned, the portrait already opened. "Thanks."  
  
He smiled softly, nodding his head, and left.  
  
"What was that about?" Harry asked as Sebastian climbed up onto his lap. Harry took the hint and began to pet him.  
  
Willow shrugged at Harry's question, as the sound of Sebastian's rumbling purrs filled the room. "He's worried we're rushing into this."  
  
Harry leaned across the table to take her hand. "We don't have to do this so soon. If you want to wait....we'll wait.  
  
Willow shook her head adamantly. "No. I'm in love with you Harry Potter and I'm marrying you in two days."  
  
"That's sounds good." He smiled broadly, leaning further over and placing a soft kiss on her lips. Sebastian, who had been asleep only moments before, got up in a huff and stalked over to the rug in front of the fire again, glaring at his mistress before going into the study where Bernard had retreated to. A slow grin grew on Willow's face at the reaction her cat had to Harry's action.  
  
"He doesn't seem to like you much," she murmured.  
  
Harry chuckled softly. "Sure he does. He's just angry that I want to play with you and not him right now."  
  
"Hmmmm," Willow purred, standing up and straddling Harry's lap. "I like it when you play with me." She lowered her mouth to his and relaxed into the kiss, sighing as his tongue joined hers in an erotic dance.  
  
Harry always enjoyed kissing Willow but now, at this moment, it was just so much more....complete. Harry had once asked Remus when you knew you were in love. (This had been around the time Susan Bones had entered his life, his most serious relationship before Willow) Remus had replied sagely that he didn't know how to answer the question. It wasn't something that you could put into words. You just...knew. Harry hadn't understood this response until about a week after he and Willow had started their physical relationship. She hadn't said anything to lead him to suspect that it was turning into more than just sex, but his own feelings were beginning to betray him. He had woken up the Sunday after that first weekend, with her lying snugly in his arms. She had stirred slightly, twisting with the dregs of a bad dream and he had comforted her, Willow's lithe body settling even more firmly against his. And it had hit him. This was it. SHE was it. Indeed, he was sad to admit that he had gone out the next day to retrieve the engagement ring his father had given his mother from his vault. It had been with shock and amazement that she had said yes to his impromptu proposal but he couldn't have been happier. She was going to be his wife.  
  
"I'm going to love being able to wake up next to you every morning," Willow broke into his internal musings, awakening him to the growing bulge his rapidly hardening cock was creating in his pants by grinding against him impatiently.  
  
"I am too Mrs. Potter, I am too," Harry grinned, standing up and carrying her over to the thick rug in front of the fire. He laid her down onto it before joining her, propping himself up next to her body and opening the buttons on her blouse one-handed.  
  
"Say that again," she whispered, bringing a hand up to gently stroke his cheek.  
  
Harry's grinned widened. "Mrs. Potter."  
  
A tear of happiness rolled down her cheek and she drew him down for a searing kiss. "I love you Harry."  
  
"I love you too." With a flick of his hand, their clothes were gone.  
"See? I knew you could do wandless magic," Willow groaned as she drew Harry down on top of her, and he entered her body, groaning audibly himself.  
  
Harry chuckled again, rocking softly in order to make the pleasure last longer. "I just needed the right motivation."  
  
A moaned "Umpf," was the only response he got from his fiancée. 


	21. Nuptials and Distracting Thoughts

Nuptials and Distracting Thoughts  
  
It was amazing what could happen if you wanted it bad enough. Indeed, it had been an odd day for Harry Potter. He had spent the morning in a War council with the other members of the Order of the Phoenix and his fiancée, going over the possible scenarios of how and when Willow and himself were going to take down Voldemort, and now, he was standing in front of Dumbledore, Willow at his side, getting married. And he certainly wanted that more than he could describe. Hell, this was probably the only thing he wanted in this very complicated and troubled day of planning he had just participated in. It had been horrible to listen to what his beloved would have to go through to incapacitate Voldemort, even more so because he would be there too, as he, according to the prophecy was the only one to get rid of the thing-Harry refused to call him a man-that had killed his parents, Sirius, countless others, and now threatened the woman that Harry had quickly found had come to encompass his entire world. It wasn't right that Willow had been drawn into his battle because of Voldemort's interest in powers she wanted no part in using. Harry didn't intend on letting her die, let alone fight tomorrow.  
  
Harry was broken from his thoughts though by Dumbledore's soothing voice starting the ceremony.  
  
"Are we ready then?" he asked the four individuals that had gathered in his office today.  
  
True to their words, Minerva and Severus were joining Harry and Willow as witnesses to their marriage today. At the nods he received from the group, he continued. "Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real the ideals that give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage. With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be married before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers. The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth. Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?"  
  
"Yes we seek to enter." Willow and Harry murmured simultaneously, smiling gently at each other as they stood in front of the Headmaster. Albus smiled warmly before going on.  
  
"Who speaks for this man?" he asked.  
  
"I do." Minerva spoke up firmly. Indeed, in this particular binding ceremony, an unbreakable form of marriage that in the wizarding world would bind and share the married couples powers to each other's, a secondary speaker was required to give away not only the bride, but also the groom. Minerva had only been too pleased when Harry asked her to be his speaker.  
  
"And who speaks for this woman?" Albus turned to Willow now.  
  
"I do," Severus said softly.  
  
Albus nodded in acknowledgement before going on. "In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief that assigned virtues to this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony. Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East- communication of the heart, mind, and body, fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences. Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South- warmth of hearth and home, the heat of the heart's passion, the light created by both to lighten the darkest of times. Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West- the deep commitments of the lake, the swift excitement of the river, the refreshing cleansing of the rain, the all-encompassing passion of the sea. Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North- firm foundation on which to build, fertility of the fields to enrich your lives, a stable home to which you may always return. Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things that will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools that you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union. I bid you look into each other's eyes."  
  
Albus looked warmly on the couple in front of him as they gazed deeply into each other's eyes. With a smile he turned to Harry first. "Harry, will you cause her pain?  
  
"I may," Harry replied, knowing that he would reluctantly be doing so within the next 24 hours. Guilt rose up from within him but he quickly squashed it back down. He refused to feel guilty for wanting to protect Willow, even if what he was going to do might cost him his life. As far as he was concerned, she was worth it.  
  
"Is that your intent?"  
  
"No," and it wasn't. It was just something he had to do. Indeed, he wouldn't let her be killed like his parents, like Sirius, or sent into hiding like Remus.  
  
Albus turned to Willow now. "Willow, will you cause him pain?"  
  
"I may," Willow replied, knowing that with the coming battle, her actions might bruise her husband, especially if she succumbed to the darkness, as she feared she might. If that were to happen, she would have to be killed, and she didn't want to think of what that would do to her beloved.  
  
"Is that your intent?"  
  
"No," and it wasn't. But sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good.  
  
"Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eyes.  
  
"Yes," the couple replied once again together, meaning it but both knowing that in the next few days, one of them might not be there to share the burden.  
  
"And so the binding is made," the Headmaster spoke again. "Please join your hands," he held a hand out to receive the golden rope that Severus handed him, representing Willow's spirit, lying in on top Willow and Harry's clasped hands. "Willow, will you share his laughter?"  
  
"Yes," she replied simply, giving Harry's hand a squeeze, thinking of the happy days to come, if the plan to defeat Voldemort succeeded.  
  
"Harry, will you share her laughter?"  
  
"Yes," he smiled happily at Willow through shining eyes, thinking of the children they had talked about having and the happiness it would bring to them.  
  
"Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?"  
  
"Yes," they replied together.  
  
"And so the binding is made," Dumbledore continued, holding out his other hand to receive the silver rope, representing Harry's spirit, that Minerva was holding out to him, taking it to lay it along side the golden rope, already on top of Willow and Harry's hands. "Willow, will you burden him?"  
  
"I may," she said, thinking of the sacrifice she would be making.  
  
"Is that you intent?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Harry, will you burden her?"  
  
"I may." Oh yes, he would. She might never forgive him.  
  
"Is that your intent?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?"  
  
"Yes," they replied together once more, meaning it.  
  
"And so the binding is made." Albus reached into his robes for a blue rope, representing the air, laying it on top of their hands.  
  
"Willow, will you share his dreams?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Harry, will you share her dreams?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?"  
  
"Yes," they said, thinking bravely toward a bright future, one that they hadn't let themselves begin to hope for in the last week.  
  
"And so the binding is made." From within the folds of his robes, Dumbledore brought out another rope, red this time and representing fire, and lay this too on their clasped hands.  
  
"Harry, will you cause her anger?"  
  
"I may," he said softly, almost snorting with laughter. If he succeeded in his plan, he didn't want to be around to deal with her rage. If he didn't....well, she would probably find him in heaven and tear several chunks out of him anyway.  
  
"Is that your intent?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Willow, will you cause him anger?"  
  
"I may."  
  
"Is that your intent?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?"  
  
"We will."  
  
"And so the binding is made." Willow handed him a green cord, representing the earth.  
  
"Willow, will you honour him?"  
  
"I will."  
  
"Harry, will you honour her?"  
  
"I will."  
  
"Will you seek to never give cause to break that honour?"  
  
"We shall never do so."  
  
"And so the binding is made." Harry handed him a black cord, representing the combined colours of all the other cords, and therefore the union he and Willow had just formed. Dumbledore gathered the ends of the ropes together and tied them. "The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the cords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union. The corner of Dumbledore's mouth quirked. "You may now kiss the bride."  
  
The ceremony now completed, Harry's mouth swooped down on his newly wedded wife, drawing her into a searing kiss.  
  
"Ah-hm," Albus interrupted, as the kiss started to get a little TOO heated.  
  
"Hmmm?" Willow broke away from her newly wedded husband in a daze to answer Albus' unspoken question. The kiss had been different from what they had shared previously. Filled with love, passion, and what Willow feared was the beginning of a good-bye. But she wasn't going to think of this now. She couldn't believe it. She and Harry were married. But she had a feeling that these feelings of bliss and happiness that was currently pervading her body couldn't last. Not with the battle ahead of them. Right now, she couldn't care less though. She would much rather be heading back to her quarters, having a leisurely dinner with her newly wedded husband, and then falling into her four-poster bed for the next 12 hours with him. This last thought- probably the most evident on both their faces by the looks of amusement her colleagues were shooting their way- was drowned out by Dumbledore's quiet chuckle.  
  
"I see it's no good to talk to you two tonight. Enjoy your honeymoon, short as it is. You'll stop by tomorrow before you leave to go over the plan one more time?"  
  
Willow nodded solemnly. "Yes. We will." It was true that she would be dropping by. The plan needed to be gone over once more if they wanted to be sure that Voldemort would be staying dead this time. The room, so recently filled with love and warmth, seemed cold now as she thought of the battle ahead.  
  
Harry, noticing his wife's distress, gave the hand he hadn't released since they started the ceremony a squeeze. Willow, looked up at him and smiled sadly.  
  
Willow sighed, and looked around the room. "Well, it's getting late and I've still got to go over a few things for tomorrow. We'll see you in the morning."  
  
"Of course you do dear," Minerva soothed her obviously agitated colleague, before ushering both Harry and Willow to the door. She stopped them in the doorway. "Try not to think about tomorrow, either of you." She shot a glare at Willow. "There will be no studying tonight Willow." She turned to Harry now, "Make sure she does so will you Harry? She's ever so troublesome when she thinks she knows better."  
  
Harry smirked at McGonagall, leaning in closer as if to tell her a secret. "I know. And trust me, there are ways to....distract her. I'll do my best." And with that, he ushered a blushing Willow down the corridor towards her chambers, his mind already coming up with ways to distract his wife away from the battle that they would face in the coming hours. 


	22. Tragic Deceptions

Tragic Deceptions  
  
Hi there. MAJOR plot twist happening here. Enjoy the ride.  
  
*The song I used is Sarah McLaughlin's 'I Love You' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Willow lay on top of her husband later that night, sated from the lovemaking they had just participated in, but unable to sleep due to the incredible fear that pervaded every trace of her being. Someone was going to die tomorrow.  
  
"What's wrong love?" Harry's voice rumbled out of his chest softly.  
  
Willow sat up slightly, settling into his arms again as she took in his concerned face. She sighed and closed her eyes as the tears she had been fighting all night suddenly won the battle and silently began to fall.  
  
"Oh Willow," he murmured, flipping them over so that he was on his side, looking down at her. "It's going to be okay."  
  
"But what if it's not?" She looked up at him in despair as the tears began to fall harder. "What if I can't fight him?" She placed a hand on his chest. "We just found each other....I'm not ready to give this up."  
  
"Hey," he said harshly, drawing her into a hug. "We're not giving this up without a fight. And we're going to win." Silently, he reassured himself of this fact. He was frightened too, more so than he had ever been because now, he had more to lose. He kissed her softly, marvelling at the fact that this woman, no, this goddess, was his. And he knew, deep down in his heart, that this might be the last night he would ever spend with her. The kiss got more heated in their desperation for the reassurance that both of them would live to see tomorrow.  
  
*I have a smile stretched from ear to ear, to see you walking down the road*  
  
Tears of his own began to well up in Harry's eyes. He loved her so much.  
  
*We meet at the lights  
  
I stare for a while  
  
the world around us disappears*  
  
Willow felt rather than saw when Harry began to cry with her. She had never seen him cry, even in his memories she had experienced as she took a tour of his head, not once had she seen him cry. To do so now...Willow knew how deep his feelings must be running. Silently, she kissed away the tears and he returned the favour as she opened her legs, urging him to enter her in what was appearing to become a cathartic experience.  
  
*It's just you and me  
  
on my island of hope  
  
a breath between us could be miles*  
  
Harry entered her slowly, wanting this moment to last forever as he and his wife cried, and they kissed away each others tears.  
  
*Let me surround you  
  
my sea to your shore  
  
let me be the calm you seek*  
  
Neither spoke as he thrust gently into her, Willow rocking her hips to draw him deeper, her own return thrusts getting stronger and more forceful as her orgasm slowly built.  
  
*Oh and every time I'm close to you  
  
there's too much I can't say  
  
and you just walk away*  
  
Harry moved his mouth away from her cheeks, and onto her mouth, silently gasping as the pleasure built.  
  
*And I forgot  
  
to tell you  
  
I love you*  
  
Willow's legs moved from their position propped up and straddling the sides of Harry's body to wrap around his waist, drawing him still closer and deeper into her body.  
  
*And the night's  
  
too long  
  
and cold here*  
  
Both of them groaned at the contact, distracting the tears that still fell unbidden down their cheeks.  
  
*Without you  
  
I grieve in my condition  
  
for I cannot find the words to say I need you so*  
  
It was a cliché, but Willow was starting to believe that this act, this purging of their fears, was turning into –no, was- a spiritual experience.  
  
*Oh and every time I'm close to you  
  
there's too much I can't say  
  
and you just walk away*  
  
But she knew him well enough to know that he was hiding something from her, as she also knew better than to think it was something small. It didn't matter right now though. She was so close to orgasm, every thrust from her husband's body driving her closer and closer to the edge.  
  
*And I forgot  
  
to tell you  
  
I love you*  
  
Harry was dying in pleasure, drowning in love. He wanted it to last forever. He groaned as Willow internal muscles started to spasm as she reached the edge of reason.  
  
*And the night's  
  
too long  
  
and cold here*  
  
Willow groaned as the pleasure caved in on her common sense. It had never been this intense- or so final. She knew they were saying good-bye.  
  
*Without you  
  
I grieve in my condition  
  
for I cannot find the words to say I need you so*  
  
Harry listened as Willow's orgasm took over and her passage clamped tightly down spasmodically on his cock, starting his own orgasm. He joined her in oblivion, crying out her name in pleasure. He knew this might be the last time.  
  
They lay together after, their bodies still joined, sated from their love- making, and emotionally drained from the finality of the act. Harry got up suddenly, his now-soft phallus slipping from her body as he went to get a drink of water. Something was going to happen. She could feel it.  
  
Harry returned with two glasses. With a sigh, he handed one to her, the one that he had spiked with a strong Draught of the Living Dead, strong enough, he had been assured by Professor Snape, to knock his wife out for half a day, allowing him to slip out unnoticed.  
  
Willow smiled softly at him, accepting the water and taking a deep gulp. Suddenly a shudder of fear and disappointment at her husband and his now apparent intentions ran through her as she felt an unnatural lethargy slip over her. Her body started to fall limp into the pillows behind her and she felt Harry save the glass she held from drenching her and the bed with the last of its contents.  
  
"Harry," she murmured in a woozy voice, her vision starting to fade and the sound of her voice going quieter in her head as the potion she now knew he had spiked her drink with took over her body. "What have you done?" 


	23. Sorrow and Rage

Sorrow and Rage  
  
'She was late,' Albus Dumbledore thought concernedly as he and the rest of the Order sat at the table he had enlarged to fit them all in his office. Indeed, it was 2 hours since the time they had previously agreed to meet. He was just about to send someone to check her quarters when he heard the staircase leading to his office begin to move. She was here.  
  
He was shocked at her appearance though, Willow's face pale and veiny, her hair and eyes gone black from the negative energy she was channelling, and a hysterical, out of control look on her face.  
  
Dumbledore, thinking that she had already gone to the pre-assigned meeting place Voldemort had sent that morning- Godric's Hollow, site of Harry's parents murder- drew his wand, the other members of the order following his lead and drawing their own as well. No one fired a curse yet. "Hello Willow, nice of you to join us. Are you alright?" he asked in a deceptively calm voice. He had talked to Harry that morning about the location and from what he had said, everything was going to be fine with the battle ahead of Willow. He had just assumed that Willow had sent Harry in her place, choosing to get some much-needed rest. Now, Dumbledore had a sickening feeling that something had happened that could put a damper on these positive thoughts. And he had a feeling it had to do with Harry.  
  
"You tell me," she spat out angrily. "And no, I'm not alright, thanks so much for caring. What the fuck do you think you all were doing, encouraging him to do something like this?"  
  
Albus looked non-plussed by her vehement expletive. He was confused though; why was she so angry and what had Harry done? "I'm sorry Willow, I don't understand."  
  
"Of course you don't," Willow said in disgust, casually picking up a book that sat on his bookshelf on the Dark Arts. With a sigh of ecstasy, she drew the energy out of the book and smiled indulgently at Albus. "No, you don't know anything about the fact that Harry DRUGGED me and left to fight Voldemort on his own."  
  
The silence of shock that Willow's last statement left in the room was deafening.  
  
"You mean he...went off on his own? Without backup?" Ron's voice broke through the quiet that had pervaded the room.  
  
Willow picked up a bigger, thicker tome and drew the magic out of that, shuddering at the influx of energy that shot into her body. "Yeah, left me a lovely note...." She said sarcastically, picking up yet another book from the Headmaster's bookshelf and drawing a piece of paper from her pocket. She whimpered as another burst of power came from the magic in the book, through to her already magic ridden body, and she dropped the note.  
  
"Willow, what are doing?" Molly murmured. She had never seen Willow this way, not even when she had just arrived at the coven years ago. The woman in question just glared at her and moved onto the next book. Molly, who at this time was becoming greatly confused by Willow's behaviour (it did not follow the hysterical pattern that Mr. Giles had described her previous bought with the dark side), picked up the note and began to read.  
  
My Dearest Willow,  
It is with a heavy heart that I write this to you today. I am sorry for what I am about to do but I can't let you go through with this. I won't lose someone else and I'm not about to let you be eaten alive by whatever dark arts Voldemort will throw at you today. Please forgive me for what I'm about to do and remember, I love you and I always will.  
-Harry  
  
Molly looked up after reading it and met Minerva's eyes, shaking her head softly at Harry's actions before handing her the note. "Willow?" She tried again, this time reaching a hand out to place it on her shoulder.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Willow roared at the woman who had helped to rehabilitate her years ago, a fireball gathering in her hands, unused.  
  
"Stupefy!" several voices yelled, and curses went flying through the air.  
  
"Thicken," Willow murmured in return, chuckling softly at their pitiful attempts to immobilize her before she hurt someone. She knew she wouldn't do that here. She was still using her head, unlike when Tara was killed.  
  
"Where did he go?" Willow demanded, deadly calm. Indeed, Voldemort had told her that the final location for the confrontation would be owled to her by the Dark Lord himself. Harry unfortunately, had intercepted that owl when he had left her, passed out on the bed that morning.  
  
"Willow, you're not yourself." Dumbledore started, beginning to get afraid.  
  
"Bored now," she sing-songed before going to stand in front of the Headmaster. "Enough of this beating around the bush. I want an answer." Her interrogation was interrupted by the arrival of Severus, who had just returned from a Death Eater Meeting. Fortunately for him, his services were not needed today. Apparently Voldemort wanted to bring Willow into the fold of his Death Eaters himself. He hadn't allowed anyone to accompany him. "There's the man of the hour now! What's up Sevvy? Made any Draught of the Living Dead lately?"  
  
Severus paled slightly but pulled himself together before taking a seat at the table with the rest of the Order. She knew. "I don't know what you're talking about Willow."  
  
She laughed bitterly before bending over at the table to look him in the eye. "Harry cannot make a good Draught of the Living Dead to save his life. I make the potions in this magical relationship. I haven't made any lately, haven't needed to fake my own death you know and besides," she pulled out the vial she had found next to the note. "This is your handwriting isn't it?"  
  
Severus looked at the label he had forgotten to remove and inwardly cursed.  
  
"By your silence, I'm gonna assume I'm right. Why'd you do it?" Willow asked, before flopping herself haphazardly down into the chair next to him.  
  
Severus exchanged a worried glance with the Headmaster, who looked as interested in what he had to say as Willow did. "I agree with Harry and quite frankly, we can't lose you." She looked like she wanted to say something, the blackness in her eyes beginning to fade, but coming back with a vengeance as she listened to his next words. "I lost my best friend Lily Evans to Voldemort 22 years ago and I'm certainly not going to lose you too."  
  
Willow was silent for a moment, processing. "If you care for me so much that you gave Harry a powerful potion to knock me out," her voice began to rise. "Then you will tell me where he is before I become a widow!"  
  
A shocked gasp filled the room. "You two actually went through with it?!" Hermione demanded to know in a stunned voice.  
  
Willow nodded in a distracted way. "Yeah. We did." She turned back to Severus. "Where is he?"  
  
Severus stayed silent.  
  
"WHERE IS HE?!" Willow roared once more, blue electricity running from her fingertips into her colleague's body, knocking the older man onto the floor before levitating him to the wall where he writhed in agony as the energy coursed through his body. Wands were suddenly drawn again and curses were flying towards the dark witch.  
  
Willow, nonplussed by the Order's actions, merely waved her hand and the curses dissolved around the shield she had erected. The blue electricity she had been torturing Severus with suddenly stopped. With a silent moan, the man dropped to the ground, coughing but still alive. She dropped to the floor and tipped his head up. "I've flayed a man alive Severus and he didn't appear to like it. Fortunately, I enjoy you. You understand me most of the time and you play a mean game of chess. So I'll ask you once more before I haul out the ol' flaying skills. Where is he?"  
  
"Godric's Hollow," Severus said in defeat. Willow smiled brightly.  
  
"Now was that so hard?" She cooed. She took in the injuries she had caused him and pouted. "Poor baby. Better have Madam Pomfrey take care of that." She walked towards the door. No one moved to stop her. "Oh and Severus?" She turned to look at the man being helped up by Kingsley Shacklebolt and Draco. "If he dies, I'll never forgive you." And with that, she was gone. 


	24. Surprise Endings

Surprise Endings  
  
Willow woke up slowly, her body feeling like she had been run over by a truck and her mind foggy and light-headed. She groaned softly as a wave of nausea went through her pain-numbed body.  
  
"Nauseous dear?" The calming voice of Madame Pomfrey broke through her internal thoughts.  
  
"Mm-hm..." Willow murmured, not trusting herself to open her mouth and not empty the contents of her stomach onto the bed.  
  
"That would be the obliviating tranquilizer we gave you. Keeps you calm until you can deal with the memories and.."Madame Pomfrey paused. "Other developments. Unfortunately, it has some side effects. Headache, nausea. It'll pass dear. Just try to get some rest." She handed Willow a vile. "And take this before you do."  
  
Willow downed the potion, almost losing the battle with her stomach but suddenly, it calmed. Fast working relief indeed. She frowned at something Madame Pomfrey had said. Why did she need to have her memories suppressed? What had happened? She remembered the wedding....but beyond that...not much else. Strange.  
  
A rustle of movement broke her from her inner reverie. "Willow?" A familiar voice called.  
  
Willow smiled as she saw who it was. Severus. "Hey, you. Care to tell me what's going on? Why am I in the infirmary?"  
  
Severus frowned in a flustered, preoccupied and extremely worried way. "The Order sent me up to tell you what happened...why you had to be given the obliviating tranquilizer. And then I think Poppy needs a moment of your time." He looked down at his hands. "They thought I'd be the best person for the job. Considering how much time we spend together. I'm not sure if they're right. Not now anyways."  
  
Willow had never seen the Potions Master quite so unsure of himself. She reached over and laid her palm over his hand. "Hey. Whatever happened....you're the right person. You're my friend and nothing's going to change that." She starred at the incredulous look that he shot her and she laughed. "You look like I shouldn't trust you Severus. What'd I do, try to kill you or something?"  
  
He didn't answer, just looked at his hands again.  
  
Willow paled further, her stomach lurching precarious at this silent implication. "Oh God. Did I?"  
  
Severus winced visibly, remembering the painful electrocution he had been subjected to. "I think killing is the wrong word. Extracting information by any means possible is probably closer to the truth."  
  
A mortified look formed on the witch's face. "I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean it. I just...."  
  
"Had good cause," Severus finished her sentence wearily. "I probably would have done the same had I been in your place. I've been instructed to take off the obliviating portion of the tranquilizer at your request by Albus who thinks that under the circumstances, it is best that you know what has happened." Severus took her other hand in his. "I don't happen to agree with him. The last 24 hours have been horrible and you shouldn't have to know about them so soon after waking up especially considering..."  
  
"Stop," Willow interrupted her friend. "Just...get it over with. It's going to hurt anyways from what you've told me. Better to start the healing process now rather than later." She chuckled sadly. "Besides, if I'm going to flip out at all, I'm in the right place. Madame Pomfrey has tranquilizers everywhere up here. It's a wonder we don't all walk around stoned."  
  
Severus smiled gently, appreciating the fact that she could still joke at a time like this. "Alright then. Are you ready for this?"  
  
She nodded in response to his question. Silently, he brought his wand up to her forehead and whispered a charm, watching as pain, then confusion, recognition and finally sorrow twisted Willow's face.  
  
A cry broke harshly out of Willow's chest as she let herself be drawn into Severus's embrace and the sobs continued to rack her body.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered miserably. "I'm so sorry."  
  
Another incredulous look crept onto her mentor's face. "What are you sorry for? I'm the one who gave him the Draught. I deserved it."  
  
"No, you didn't. You and Harry, well, I can't fault you for wanting to protect me. I just...I can't believe that he's...." Fresh sobs broke into their conversation.  
  
Severus was silent a moment, letting her cry. "The Order was about 30 seconds behind you getting to Godric's Hollow and when we apparated into the grounds, we saw you standing back from Harry and Voldemort. They were in the middle of a duel and their wands were linked again." Severus sighed, remembering.  
  
"But why was the Veil there? Why?" She cried miserably, not willing to believe that the worst possible scenario for her had come true. "Avada Kadavra I could understand. It's Voldemort's style. But the Veil? Why did he go through so much trouble to steal it from the department of Mysteries and deposit into an empty field? What was the point?"  
  
Severus wrapped his arm tighter around the emotionally fragile woman. "Voldemort...liked to play with people's minds. You know how Sirius died. It would have been devastating for Harry to lose you that way too, especially in the place where his parents were killed." He chuckled bitterly. "But the plan backfired. Voldemort's one downfall was the link. Harry had the strength to pull Voldemort in with him when the priori incantatem knocked him into the veil."  
  
Willows laugh turned into tears at her husband's last actions. "But why? Why'd he have to die? Why now? I just found him...."  
  
It was at this point that Madame Pomfrey came into the infirmary again. "You've told her? Took the first half of the potion off?"  
  
Severus nodded sadly.  
  
"Good. Maybe what I have to tell her will help her get through this better." Poppy sat down at the foot of the bed. "Dear, I have some news. When they brought you into the infirmary after....well, after, we ran some tests. The Draught of the Living Dead can be detrimental to ones health, especially after being given the amount you were give." Madame Pomfrey took a moment to glare at Severus before going back to the task at hand. "And with the amount of dark magic you were channelling...we thought it would be best to keep an eye on you, run some more tests." Poppy paused a moment, not sure how to tell Willow this tragically ill-timed news. "We found something rather big..."  
  
It was later that evening that Molly, her two youngest children and their spouses decided to go to see Willow. Truthfully, she wasn't sure the state they would find her in, considering. Her own family was an emotional mess over the loss of Harry. Molly couldn't imagine what Willow was feeling.  
  
With a sigh, she entered the infirmary, Ron, Ginny, Draco and Hermione trailing behind her. She walked over to the bed, taking in the sight of the woman she had come to consider one of her own curled up on the bed, tear tracks visible on her face. She looked so sad.  
  
Willow looked up at her visitors groggily. She had gotten hysterical after Poppy's announcement of her test results and they had given her another tranquilizer.  
  
"Hey Molly, how's it going?" Willow sat up, brushing a stray tear off her cheek.  
  
"Oh Willow I'm so sorry," Molly sat down and brought her into a hug. "How are you feeling dear?"  
  
"Alright, considering," Willow murmured, willing herself not to start crying again. "Poppy got the tests back that they took when they brought me in."  
  
"Willow, you're not sick are you?" Hermione asked in a concerned voice, her own face showing signs of the tears that she had recently shed.  
  
Willow looked down at her hands neutrally. "No," she gave a small chuckle. "I'm pregnant."  
  
The group looked shocked.  
  
"It's Harry's then?" Draco broke the silence, shocked at this most recent turn of events.  
  
"Of course it's Harry's," Willow spat out bitterly, annoyed that Draco would think that low of her. "He's been my only male lover in years."  
  
"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked quietly, sorrow for her friend urging her into bringing up a chair to sit next to the bed.  
  
Willow shrugged helplessly and looked down, new tears beginning to gather in her eyes. "Keep it. Love it. It's the only piece I have left of him and I'm not throwing that away just because Harry happens to be...to be...excuse me." She was interrupted as the nausea that Madame Pomfrey had said accompanied the obliviating tranquilizer came back full force and Willow ran for the bathroom, only just making it to the toilet as the contents of her stomach forcibly made a comeback. The tears she had been holding in started their silent descent down her cheeks. Great, she thought. Just what I needed. Tranquilizer induced morning sickness. She felt another wave of nausea pass through her as she flushed the toilet and its contents away. "Oh my God," another sob broke forth from her body as her situation hit her, and thoughts of Harry sprang forth into her mind. He would never get to share this experience with her. The pregnancy. Their child's life. She wondered if it would be a boy or a girl. She hoped it would look like him, a fitting tribute to a father he or she would never know. Her thoughts were broken as the inexorable nausea made another reappearance and she vomited again. Suddenly, a body was there to support her retching form, a hand holding back her hair as the horrible and sudden sickness had its way with her. More tears fell down her cheeks as she finished.  
  
"Shh. It's going to be okay." Ron said in a soothing voice. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. His best friend and his new wife, the love of Harry's life really, by what Ron had observed, were supposed to be together. He wasn't supposed to die. Furthermore, he wasn't supposed to have left his wife grieving and pregnant. He turned back to Willow, waiting a moment for her to flush the toilet again and stand shakily, watching as she conjured toothpaste and toothbrush and proceeded to brush the stale taste of vomit from her mouth. With a sigh, she put the brush down and allowed Ron to help her back to bed.  
  
"Sorry," she murmured softly to the group sitting near her bed as Ron pulled back the covers and motioned for her to get into the soft warmth of the infirmary bed. "The obliviating tranquilizer has a tendency to make one nauseous."  
  
"It's perfectly fine dear," Molly placed a comforting hand over her own. "Now then, let's have a chat shall we? What with the current situation, Dumbledore has asked Ginny, Draco, Ron and Hermione to become your personal bodyguards until classes end for the year. After that...I assume you'll continue to teach? Minerva especially was insistent that you stay. Apparently your class has gained the attention of the Ministry and they'd like you to continue." Molly smiled warmly, trying to take Willow's mind off of things for even a moment. "You'll be coming to the Burrow this summer then?"  
  
Willow looked stunned. She hadn't thought that she'd stay in England. Indeed, she could already feel the painful memories of the time she spent with Harry here weighing down on her. But she loved teaching and if Dumbledore was willing to have a teacher at Hogwarts that came with a baby, then she would stay. She didn't understand why she needed bodyguards though. Voldemort was dead. Suddenly, the answer came to her. The baby. Harry Potter's child. "I was actually thinking of spending the summer in Los Angeles with Angel and Spike. Too many memories here."  
  
Hermione was the first to interject surprisingly. Normally she was supportive of Willow's ideas. "You can't. It's too dangerous." Seeing the confused look on Willow's face, she continued in exasperation. "Think about it. By the time the school year is finished in early June you'll be how far along? Like 6 months?"  
  
"Seven," Willow murmured wearily. She was beginning to have an inkling as to where Hermione was going with this.  
  
"Even worse. You can't floo when you're that pregnant, and apparating is out of the question. Too much risk in leaving the baby behind accidentally. And as for portkeying, well, it's extremely uncomfortable for both you and the baby. You could be laid up for days with disorientation and nausea." She stopped Willow before she could open her mouth with the next suggestion. "Don't even get me started with Muggle ways of travelling. It's greatly discouraged. Besides," Hermione smiled sadly "There's no way I'm letting my best friends widow, and furthermore MY friend, put herself in danger when Death Eater's are still out there who would love to kill not only Harry Potter's wife, but his child too. So, like it or not, you're going to the Burrow."  
  
Willow smiled slightly in response to Hermione's very thorough argument. "Well, when you put it that way..."  
  
"Hermione's right dear," Molly patted her hand reassuringly. "You're much safer with us at the Burrow."  
  
For what seemed like the thousandth time that day, tears began to gather in Willow's eyes. Harry might be gone but she and this child- this wonderful child that the powers that be had seen fit to bless her with- would be alright. Quickly, she brushed the tears from her eyes as the conversation turned to more sobering issues. Like Harry's funeral. 


	25. Epilogue Summer Days

Epilogue- Summer Days  
  
It had been a tough few months for Willow. She had gotten through the last of the school term, the first group of students to graduate from her 'Advanced Prophecies, Glamour's, and Wandless Magic' class receiving many job offers even before their graduation from Hogwarts. Indeed, the Ministry had been so pleased with her performance that she had spent the better part of the summer at the Auror Academy, teaching the trainees. She had only stopped when her pregnancy became too advanced for her to continue.  
  
And now, back at the Burrow for what seemed liked endless days, Willow was cranky. And that was never a good thing. It was August and she was due to give birth any day now. Aside from the fact that she was huge (a fact that Fred and George loved to tease her about), England was in the middle of a heatwave- the hottest summer on record apparently- thus making her even more uncomfortable. With a sigh, she turned back to her book, pausing only momentarily to take a sip of the cold lemonade that Molly had brought for her as she sat in the shady calm of the Weasely's garden.  
  
The truth of the matter was that she had never given up hope that Harry was alive. After all, they hadn't found a body and no one really knew where the veil Harry and Voldemort had fallen into led. She had been researching for months, soon influencing Hermione and later Ginny, Draco and Ron with her strong belief that her husband was alive and well. Her researching endeavours had been quite timely in fact, at least in regard to who had become her partners in the matter.  
  
Soon after coming to Hogwarts to protect Willow and the baby (an effort that Willow thought was needless, but the rest of the staff thought was a great idea, concern for the woman that had lost her husband and now faced the threats of Death Eater attacks even in the relative safety of Hogwarts overweighing any thoughts that an Auror presence in the school was an overprotective measure), Hermione had discovered that she too was expecting. And, only a month after that, a battle wound had forced Ginny to go to St. Mungos where the doctors had found that Ginny was pregnant as well, the result of an extremely satisfying Valentines weekend with Draco. At any rate, it had meant that both Ginny and Hermione were taken off of active duty as Aurors, and forced into a more research-based position. They had continued to stay at Hogwarts however, after learning of Willow's theory, and now were actively involved in proving her idea right. Now, the three women were spending the rest of the summer with Molly and Arthur, and the rest of the Weasely family, continuing their research into the Veil while Ron and Draco worked to eliminate the Death Eaters that still roamed the country.  
  
The sound of screen door creaking shut broke Willow out of her inner musings though, and she looked up to see a determined Hermione and Ginny walking towards her. Indeed, they were still walking, not waddling as Willow in her large condition was. Hermione, Molly was strongly convinced, was carrying a girl. Willow on the other hand was probably having a boy. Or so Molly told her. Ginny on the other hand, was just small in general, confusing her mother's guessing to no end.  
  
"There you are," Ginny said smugly. "We were wondering where you had gotten yourself off to this morning."  
  
"Yes," Hermione smiled, conjuring two more cushioned chaises for she and Ginny to sit on. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Willow smiled in return as her two friends made themselves comfortable. Silently, she conjured two more glasses of the lemonade she had been drinking. "Alright. Here." She handed the glasses to the women in front of her.  
  
"Willow, you're a godsend," Hermione murmured, gratefully accepting her glass. Indeed, she was due any day now as well and was just as uncomfortable with the heat as Willow was. She took a sip gratefully before noticing the book the other woman was reading. "'Portals to Alternate Worlds,' Willow?"  
  
Willow nodded her head yes and watched as Hermione's brow furrowed. She sighed at the thought of the explanation that would be involved with the answer to why she was reading this particular book. "You remember how I told you about that time I restored Angel's soul but he got sent to hell anyways? Through a portal?" Hermione and Ginny nodded, not sure where this conversation was heading. "Well, the other night I couldn't sleep and picked this book up, thinking that I would get in some reading for teaching material on the subject for next years classes," she took a deep breath and continued. "And it occurred to me that if portals to Hell existed from old statues, then surely they could exist from old doorways ESPECIALLY old doorways that generally are stored in the Department of Mysteries."  
  
"So, you're saying that you think Harry is in Hell?" Ginny asked incredulously, taking a sip of her lemonade.  
  
"No," Willow shook her head vigorously, wincing slightly as the baby moved restlessly inside her. "Portals can exist to anywhere. Different times, different places. In the case of the Veil however, I think it's a gateway to 'limbo.' Have either of you heard of Dante's Inferno and its explanations of the nine circles of hell?" She took in Ginny's blank expression and Hermione nod. Well obviously Hermione would know. Dante was a Muggle writer. "Anyway, it's basically an explanation as to where we humans go after we die." She explained for Ginny's benefit. "For the dead, it's a place to repent for their sins. They can climb the ladder to get up to Heaven though. It's like a waiting room essentially. For the living, it can be a form of stagnant limbo. You don't go anywhere, you don't age, you just wait for someone to get you out all while living in a place of sorrow without torment." She paused for a moment, letting this idea sink in before continuing. "Have you ever been to Nearly Headless Nick's deathday parties?" Hermione and Ginny nodded, remembering the eerily cool and strangely blue-grey coloured events that the Griffindor ghost had yearly. "Well, then you'll remember how like the Veil they were. Sort of weirdly coloured, cold, with a strange wind passing through them?" The women had put down their glasses, they were so shocked at Willow's implication. "Ghosts are proof that such a portal exists and if you'll recall, the ghosts that were there weren't all ones that haunted the castle, or even the world. Some of them were from beyond somewhere, proving that there must be a way to get between the two areas. Who's to say that living people couldn't survive there, albeit sadly, but very much alive?" Willow finished smugly.  
  
"But that would mean..." Ginny said slowly, not completely comprehending how this had gone so overlooked for so long.  
  
"That Harry's alive," Willow said triumphantly.  
  
"And so is Sirius," Hermione chimed in, in excitement, thinking of how happy Remus and Harry would be if Willow's theory were true.  
  
"And so is Voldemort," Ginny spat out in shock, effectively raining on Hermione and Willow's parade.  
  
Willow was silent a moment. "Look, if this is true, than we can't leave him there, even if Voldemort's there too," she stared down at her hands. "Besides, if my theory is correct, than it would be possible for Voldemort to come back, and that's not a good thing."  
  
"But how are we supposed to get him out?" Hermione asked in a confused voice, leaning back and stretching her back in the process. It had been aching for the past week.  
  
Willow sighed wearily. "You're not going to like this idea but....I can do it. There's a spell..."  
  
"No!" Hermione interjected firmly, adamant that Willow not put herself or the baby in jeopardy. "No way Willow. It's too dangerous, especially at this stage in your pregnancy. Besides, we don't even know if he's really where you say he is."  
  
Willow ignored her friends outburst. "I've done it before and there were no side effects. My friends don't know to this day that I did it."  
  
"Angel?" Ginny took her hand gently, choosing to ignore Hermione as well.  
  
Willow nodded. "He doesn't even know it was me that brought him out of it." She looked down at the passage she had just read, handing the book to Hermione and pointing to it. "See Hermione? It's just a series of words in Latin, with the proper potion given to the Earth at the right time, and the person being asked to return shows up sometime in the next 24 hours in the place they disappeared," she said in a soothing voice, grimacing for the 3rd time in an hour as a twinge of pain went through her abdomen. It felt like early labour, from the way Molly had described, but she refused to believe that this was the case, not today, when she was so close to getting Harry back. She looked at Hermione pleadingly. "Are you guys with me? Can we at least try this? Nothing happens if the person you're trying to get back isn't there..."  
  
Hermione held up a hand to silence her friend as she read the last line of the passage, and the next paragraph as well, just to make sure that there weren't any ramifications to it. She had learned too many times in her years spent with the adventurous Harry and Ron to read the fine print before barrelling into a situation. "Alright," she finally conceded. "I'm in."  
  
The spell, Willow thought as she, Hermione, Ginny, Draco and Ron sat in the middle of the backyard that night, was looking to be the answer to her prayers. Indeed, they had performed the spell for Harry an hour ago and had just finished the one for Sirius. Voldemort they had decided to leave until after Harry returned. After all, the prophecy stated that only one could live and Willow intended that one to be Harry. She was sure the spell had worked, as she had felt the magic go through her, almost identical to the one she had felt when she performed this for Angel. All that was left to do was wait, and Dumbledore, who they had informed of what they were doing and who in response, had sent out Remus and Tonks to Godric's Hollow, and another group of Aurors to the Department of Mysteries to await their arrivals.  
  
Willow didn't feel well though, and this was dampening the euphoric mood she was in. She bit her lip, as the cramps she had been feeling off and on all day suddenly got worse.  
  
"Willow?" Draco asked in a concerned voice, helping Ginny up and watching as his friend visibly winced and bent over slightly in pain. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Um-hm," she answered, her strained words denying her positive answer.  
  
"Willow," Ron chimed in, concerned for his best friends wife as he helped his own wife up from the grass. "Are you in labour?"  
  
"No, I don't think so," she answered more strongly as the pain passed, standing as Draco and Ron moved to help her stand. She suddenly bent over as she became upright.  
  
"Oh God," Willow said in shock, feeling something shift and then break inside her, fluid making it's way down her legs. "Ok, I'm changing my answer, my water just broke."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Right, I'm not in labour..." he said, mimicking Willow's voice sarcastically. "If Harry were here, he would tell you...."  
  
"Oh no, Harry..." Willow cried softly, the expected results of the last hour coming back full force. "This can't happen now. He's almost back, he needs to be here for this..." Her voice was cut off abruptly as another contraction-Willow realized that she must have been having these all day- hit her.  
  
"OK," Ron rolled his eyes along with Draco again at Willow's behaviour. "We need to get you up to the house. Mum will know what to do for you."  
  
Willow, unable to argue while in the throe of the contraction, let herself be led up to the house, thoughts of Harry and his possibly eminent return thrown to the wayside- at least for the moment.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
And from the same field where Godric's Hollow once stood, the unconscious-but very much alive- body of Harry Potter fell from the sky, seemingly out of nowhere, startling a very naked Remus and Tonks, who had only just realized their feelings for each other and were acting upon them accordingly. 


End file.
